High HIV infection and transmission in the Kavango East Region has prompted the new health director in the region to urge the community to offer love and support to the affected and infected.
During the commemoration of the belated World AIDS Day held at Mazana Village in Rundu Rural Kavango East, Health Director Idah Mendai explained that community infection is a grave concern.
An Oshana Region-based AIDS activist went public about her HIV status 21 years ago and has since not looked back, advocating to end stigma and discrimination against people living with HIV.
The mother of four and grandmother of ten, Anita Isaacks, who is currently a resident of Olupumbi Village, discovered her HIV status at the age of 37 in 1996.
She had gone for a job interview at Oshakati, and providing her HIV status was one of the requirements.
Namibia has made significant progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS, coming very close to meeting the 95-95-95 testing, treatment, and viral suppression targets of UNAIDS.
In Namibia, 95% of all adults 15 to 49 years old are aware of their HIV status, of whom 97% are accessing treatment, and 94% of these have suppressed their viral loads.
Minister in the Presidency Christine ||Hoëbes says Namibia proudly celebrates this progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
||Hoëbes addressed the World AIDS Day commemoration at Mariental.
Between April and September this year, 25,582 people tested for HIV/AIDS in the |Khomas Region, of which 496 results returned positive.
This was revealed by the Chairperson of the |Khomas Regional Council, John Moonde, at the |Khomas Regional Council World AIDS Day commemoration in Windhoek on Friday.
With 'linkage to care', Moonde revealed that out of the 496 positive cases, 435 individuals have been linked to care, resulting in an 88% linkage rate.
Limited resources and poverty among people in rural areas are hampering efforts to end the spread of HIV/AIDS in Namibia.
This was said by the Acting Director of Health and Social Services in Kavango East Region Woita Kapumburu at the World AIDS Day Commemoration at Rundu.
Kapumburu says, despite improvements in combating the spread of the disease, the Ministry of Health and Social Services is still faced with challenges in achieving the dream of ending HIV and AIDS.
Although Namibia has made great strides in the fight against HIV and AIDS, the epidemic continues to rob the country of much-needed human capital and compromise socio-economic progress.
This is President Hage Geingob's message, as Namibia joins the commemoration of World AIDS Day.
Dr Geingob is equally concerned about the stigmatization of those infected with and affected by HIV and AIDS, describing these as the biggest enemies.
He says discrimination compromises treatment and support services offered by the government.
