Govt.rollsout anti-retroviral treatment

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has expressed concern at Namibia being rated among the countries with the highest HIV-AIDS prevalence.

Pohamba was addressing people during the commemoration of World AIDS Day at Oshakati on Saturday. The President said about 230 000 Namibians live with the virus, meaning that every family in Namibia was affected by the epidemic in one way or another.”The impact of this disease in terms of loss of lives, orphans and loss of social and economic productivity is devastating,” he said.The President said Government, with the assistance of development partners and civil society, has launched various programmes to address the epidemic.These include voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and anti-retroviral treatment.”Individuals and couples are being tested to determine their HIV status, and I would like to commend all those who have been bold enough to take the blood tests, to be in a better position to protect themselves and their loved ones,” the President said.VCT and PMTCT services, he said, were now available at all hospitals and at a good number of peripheral health facilities.The Ministry of Health is currently rolling out these services to health facilities that are not yet providing them.”I therefore call on all our citizens to make use of these services in order to know their HIV status,” Pohamba said.The PMTCT programme offers pregnant women an opportunity to protect their unborn babies from infection during pregnancy and delivery.According to the President, 70 per cent of pregnant women attending Antenatal Care Clinics receive PMTCT services.”I believe that it will be a major step forward if these services are extended to all expectant mothers countrywide in order to protect our new generation from HIV infection.”However, what concerns the President is the low number of men accompanying their partners to clinics.He said during 2005-2006 the Oshakati State Hospital recorded almost 40 000 pregnant women who received testing, counselling and treatment, while during the same period only about 805 men attended these clinics.The President urged men to accompany their pregnant partners to hospitals for them be tested and counselled together.”This will enable those who are HIV positive to access care and treatment and in so doing protect the most valuable asset of Namibia, our children, who are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.He further revealed that about 50 000 people living with HIV need anti-retroviral treatment.”Currently, all 34 State hospitals provide anti-retroviral treatment and the number of patients on treatment is about 22 000, while the enrolment is rapidly expanding,” Pohamba said.”Not too long ago, before the anti-retroviral treatment was available, getting HIV was synonymous with a death sentence.”Today, the President said, 95 per cent of patients receiving this treatment are alive and a good number of them have again become socially and economically productive.He pleaded with patients receiving the treatment to ensure that they take their medicines correctly and follow the instructions of their healthcare providers.The President said about 230 000 Namibians live with the virus, meaning that every family in Namibia was affected by the epidemic in one way or another.”The impact of this disease in terms of loss of lives, orphans and loss of social and economic productivity is devastating,” he said.The President said Government, with the assistance of development partners and civil society, has launched various programmes to address the epidemic.These include voluntary counselling and testing (VCT), prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT) and anti-retroviral treatment.”Individuals and couples are being tested to determine their HIV status, and I would like to commend all those who have been bold enough to take the blood tests, to be in a better position to protect themselves and their loved ones,” the President said.VCT and PMTCT services, he said, were now available at all hospitals and at a good number of peripheral health facilities.The Ministry of Health is currently rolling out these services to health facilities that are not yet providing them.”I therefore call on all our citizens to make use of these services in order to know their HIV status,” Pohamba said.The PMTCT programme offers pregnant women an opportunity to protect their unborn babies from infection during pregnancy and delivery.According to the President, 70 per cent of pregnant women attending Antenatal Care Clinics receive PMTCT services.”I believe that it will be a major step forward if these services are extended to all expectant mothers countrywide in order to protect our new generation from HIV infection.”However, what concerns the President is the low number of men accompanying their partners to clinics.He said during 2005-2006 the Oshakati State Hospital recorded almost 40 000 pregnant women who received testing, counselling and treatment, while during the same period only about 805 men attended these clinics.The President urged men to accompany their pregnant partners to hospitals for them be tested and counselled together.”This will enable those who are HIV positive to access care and treatment and in so doing protect the most valuable asset of Namibia, our children, who are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.He further revealed that about 50 000 people living with HIV need anti-retroviral treatment.”Currently, all 34 State hospitals provide anti-retroviral treatment and the number of patients on treatment is about 22 000, while the enrolment is rapidly expanding,” Pohamba said.”Not too long ago, before the anti-retroviral treatment was available, getting HIV was synonymous with a death sentence.”Today, the President said, 95 per cent of patients receiving this treatment are alive and a good number of them have again become socially and economically productive.He pleaded with patients receiving the treatment to ensure that they take their medicines correctly and follow the instructions of their healthcare providers.