HIV-AIDS discriminates on gender basis, says Minister

MINISTER of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, says HIV-AIDS is a gender-discriminatory disease that infects mostly women and girls.

Speaking at the official opening of a three-day conference for people living with HIV-AIDS held at Oshakati last week, Kamwi said the latest figures on females infected by the virus reflected a harsh reality. The conference, which brought together more than 80 per cent of AIDS-infected people in the northern regions, was attended by mostly women.”Gender inequality…this tells you how vulnerable women are due to a lack of accessible information,” said Kwami The annual conference, hosted by the Yelula HIV-AIDS Project, aims to bring AIDS sufferers, councillors and experts together to share information on the epidemic.Kamwi, who attended the 16th International Conference on AIDS held in Toronto, Canada, earlier this month, said that of the estimated 230 000 HIV-positive Namibians, some 22 000 patients were on anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment.He said the ARV target for the end of this financial year was 30 000 patients.”Namibia is leading in terms of treatment, especially with children, according to the data presented by the World Health Organisation …for now we are doing well,” the Minister noted.In 2004, statistics showed that Oshakati had an HIV prevalence rate of 25,2 per cent.The conference, which brought together more than 80 per cent of AIDS-infected people in the northern regions, was attended by mostly women.”Gender inequality…this tells you how vulnerable women are due to a lack of accessible information,” said Kwami The annual conference, hosted by the Yelula HIV-AIDS Project, aims to bring AIDS sufferers, councillors and experts together to share information on the epidemic.Kamwi, who attended the 16th International Conference on AIDS held in Toronto, Canada, earlier this month, said that of the estimated 230 000 HIV-positive Namibians, some 22 000 patients were on anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment.He said the ARV target for the end of this financial year was 30 000 patients.”Namibia is leading in terms of treatment, especially with children, according to the data presented by the World Health Organisation …for now we are doing well,” the Minister noted.In 2004, statistics showed that Oshakati had an HIV prevalence rate of 25,2 per cent.