Over 2 000 AIDS patients on ARV treatment – official

MORE than 2 000 patients are receiving anti-retroviral treatment at seven hospitals in Namibia, according to a senior official in the Health Ministry.

Health Under Secretary Dr Norbert Forster said this week that “the number is increasing on a daily basis”. Reacting to the lead article in Monday’s The Namibian, that was based on a study done by Lironga Eparu in late 2002 and early 2003 about treatment access at State health facilities, Forster said it was to Namibia’s credit that within less than a year more than 2 000 people had access to ARV treatment.”During the past 11 months, treatment with anti-retroviral medication has been made available in seven hospitals in the public sector in Windhoek, Oshakati, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Walvis Bay, Rehoboth and Keetmanshoop.More than 250 health professionals have been trained from these and other hospitals,” he said.Forster said treatment management committees worked closely with representatives from Lironga Eparu and other community organisations to address problems as they arise at the local level.When Lironga Eparu carried out its study, HIV positive people interviewed by the organisation described the treatment and health care at State clinics and hospitals as a “a lottery”.Forster said the study was done more than half a year before the treatment programme was officially launched and that Lironga Eparu appreciated the fact that its report was not reflecting any of these important developments of the past year.During the discussion of the report, Forster said, it was revealed that the rate of the introduction of ARVs in the seven hospitals so far had been very rapid.He said the Ministry of Health’s target was for each of the 13 regions to have at least one public sector hospital offer ARV treatment by the end of 2005.”In addition, the undertaking was given that the findings of the consultation report would be shared with the relevant health facilities for their further consideration and action as and where appropriate, ” he said.Reacting to the lead article in Monday’s The Namibian, that was based on a study done by Lironga Eparu in late 2002 and early 2003 about treatment access at State health facilities, Forster said it was to Namibia’s credit that within less than a year more than 2 000 people had access to ARV treatment.”During the past 11 months, treatment with anti-retroviral medication has been made available in seven hospitals in the public sector in Windhoek, Oshakati, Rundu, Katima Mulilo, Walvis Bay, Rehoboth and Keetmanshoop.More than 250 health professionals have been trained from these and other hospitals,” he said.Forster said treatment management committees worked closely with representatives from Lironga Eparu and other community organisations to address problems as they arise at the local level.When Lironga Eparu carried out its study, HIV positive people interviewed by the organisation described the treatment and health care at State clinics and hospitals as a “a lottery”.Forster said the study was done more than half a year before the treatment programme was officially launched and that Lironga Eparu appreciated the fact that its report was not reflecting any of these important developments of the past year.During the discussion of the report, Forster said, it was revealed that the rate of the introduction of ARVs in the seven hospitals so far had been very rapid.He said the Ministry of Health’s target was for each of the 13 regions to have at least one public sector hospital offer ARV treatment by the end of 2005.”In addition, the undertaking was given that the findings of the consultation report would be shared with the relevant health facilities for their further consideration and action as and where appropriate, ” he said.