National leaders strengthen role in anti-AIDS campaign

THE President and the Prime Minister will receive more powers under an ambitious programme Government is launching to counter the spread of HIV-AIDS in Namibia.

The programme, to be implemented over five years, is titled the Third Medium-term Plan, of which the national strategic plan on HIV-AIDS forms a part. One of the key goals is to avoid the shortcomings of the Second Medium-term Plan (known as MTP II).Under the new plan, Namibia’s President will chair all meetings of the National AIDS Committee, the highest-ranking decision-making body in efforts to fight the disease.At present, that committee is chaired by the Health Minister.The second most senior AIDS body, the National Multi-sectoral AIDS Co-ordination Committee, which until now has been chaired by the Health Permanent Secretary, will convene under the Prime Minister.The draft MTP III document, discussed over two days this week, motivated an increase in hands-on leadership to battle HIV-AIDS in Namibia.NAC meets once every six months to review progress on the annual work plan.In the foreword to the document, due to be released in April, President Sam Nujoma says the epidemic has continued to spread and MTP III aims to go a step further in delivering treatment to the infected.Proportionally, Namibia is ranked among the five countries in the world worst affected by HIV-AIDS, and the disease is generally recognised as the country’s most significant public health problem and development issue.Statistical modelling suggests that the country is in the second phase of the epidemic, marked by a sharp rise in its prevalence among the community.The document estimates that the national prevalence will level off at 24 per cent of 15-to-49-year-olds by 2005.The current prevalence rate stands at 22 per cent but the Ministry of Health estimates that in some parts of the country between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by AIDS patients.”HIV-AIDS is seriously undermining Namibia’s potential to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,” the document states, adding that the population growth rate is expected to decline from 3,6 per cent in 1991 to 1,5 per cent in 2006.Over the same period, life expectancy is expected to drop from 60 years to 40, while 23 220 people are expected to die of AIDS-related illnesses compared to 390 in 1991.At the moment Namibia has 82 000 registered orphans but, because of the high number of AIDS-related deaths, that number is projected to reach 118 000 in two years’ time.Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kalumbi Shangula said MTP III suited an era “of less talk and more action”.A new directorate for HIV-AIDS, malaria and TB has already been set up in the Health Ministry.One of the key goals is to avoid the shortcomings of the Second Medium-term Plan (known as MTP II).Under the new plan, Namibia’s President will chair all meetings of the National AIDS Committee, the highest-ranking decision-making body in efforts to fight the disease.At present, that committee is chaired by the Health Minister.The second most senior AIDS body, the National Multi-sectoral AIDS Co-ordination Committee, which until now has been chaired by the Health Permanent Secretary, will convene under the Prime Minister.The draft MTP III document, discussed over two days this week, motivated an increase in hands-on leadership to battle HIV-AIDS in Namibia.NAC meets once every six months to review progress on the annual work plan.In the foreword to the document, due to be released in April, President Sam Nujoma says the epidemic has continued to spread and MTP III aims to go a step further in delivering treatment to the infected.Proportionally, Namibia is ranked among the five countries in the world worst affected by HIV-AIDS, and the disease is generally recognised as the country’s most significant public health problem and development issue.Statistical modelling suggests that the country is in the second phase of the epidemic, marked by a sharp rise in its prevalence among the community.The document estimates that the national prevalence will level off at 24 per cent of 15-to-49-year-olds by 2005.The current prevalence rate stands at 22 per cent but the Ministry of Health estimates that in some parts of the country between 50 per cent and 70 per cent of hospital beds are occupied by AIDS patients.”HIV-AIDS is seriously undermining Namibia’s potential to achieve the Millennium Development Goals,” the document states, adding that the population growth rate is expected to decline from 3,6 per cent in 1991 to 1,5 per cent in 2006.Over the same period, life expectancy is expected to drop from 60 years to 40, while 23 220 people are expected to die of AIDS-related illnesses compared to 390 in 1991.At the moment Namibia has 82 000 registered orphans but, because of the high number of AIDS-related deaths, that number is projected to reach 118 000 in two years’ time.Health Permanent Secretary Dr Kalumbi Shangula said MTP III suited an era “of less talk and more action”.A new directorate for HIV-AIDS, malaria and TB has already been set up in the Health Ministry.