The Health Control Programme Officer in the Directorate of Special Programmes in the Ministry of Health and Social Services, Nicholus Mutenda, says Namibia is doing well in terms of HIV Strategic response.

Mutenda was speaking at Katima Mulilo at the review of the 2017 to 2021/2022 National HIV National Framework.

Mutenda says about 92 percent of people with HIV know their status, 99 percent are on treatment of whom 93 percent are virally suppressed.

He emphasized that if the current trend continues, the country will soon reach the UN 95-95-95 target.

Mutenda explained that a strategic framework is a guiding document that assists to have a coordinated response in terms of  HIV in the whole country and one that will also be cascaded to all regions for them to be able to use it as a guiding document as well.

The program is supported and funded by international organizations such as PEPFAR, the United Nations, and the Global Fund.

Mutenda says although the country has not yet reached its target of reducing HIV by 75 percent, all strategies are being revised with all partners and constituencies to help establish the major stumbling blocks to optimally reduce the HIV rate.

The Zambezi Region's Chief Health Program Officer, Irene Mabuku, says the region stands at a 95 percent viral suppression rate compared to just over 91 percent nationally.

Mabuku says the review also targets youth incidences, cases, HIV-related deaths, elimination of mother-to-child transmission, and the reduction in TB cases.

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Sililo Mubiana