Poor participation in HIV-AIDS fight

KATIMA MULILO – In a town battling with the highest percentage of HIV-AIDS infections in the country, the launch of a national video campaign on the epidemic on Friday was attended by only 150 people, mostly schoolchildren.

Katima Mulilo, with a population of about 26 000, has an HIV prevalence rate of 42 per cent compared to Opuwo, which has a nine per cent prevalence. The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, launched the National Strategic Plan on HIV-AIDS to co-ordinate and support social mobilisation activities at all levels, including advocacy, community involvement and behaviour change communication.It is within this context that her ministry has embarked upon a nationwide video campaign on the epidemic, which was launched at Katima Mulilo on Friday and will be rolled out countrywide afterwards.The Regional Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services in the Caprivi Region, Michael Likando, said in 2004 the HIV prevalence rate in Namibia was 19 per cent compared to 22 per cent in 2002.This represented the first decrease in HIV prevalence since antenatal clinics started monitoring the epidemic in 1992.Likando said statistics showed that in 2004 Swakopmund had a prevalence rate of 28,3 per cent, Grootfontein 28,1, Oshikango 23, Walvis Bay 25,7, Oshakati 25,2 and Katutura 22 per cent.Nelao Martin, who has been HIV positive for more than eight years, told the gathering that a wrong message was being sent about the epidemic – ‘HIV-AIDS kills’.She pointed out that the pupils from the Nweze primary and secondary school, who performed during the event, only concentrated on alcoholism and prostitution.”I was not a prostitute.I just experienced what most young people do.I had unprotected sex.Let us stop discriminating against people living with HIV-AIDS.HIV is only in our blood.We are not mentally disturbed.Despite my status, I am still a productive citizen of the country,” she told the crowd.Regional councillors, traditional authority leaders as well Government officials attended the event.NampaThe Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, launched the National Strategic Plan on HIV-AIDS to co-ordinate and support social mobilisation activities at all levels, including advocacy, community involvement and behaviour change communication.It is within this context that her ministry has embarked upon a nationwide video campaign on the epidemic, which was launched at Katima Mulilo on Friday and will be rolled out countrywide afterwards.The Regional Director of the Ministry of Health and Social Services in the Caprivi Region, Michael Likando, said in 2004 the HIV prevalence rate in Namibia was 19 per cent compared to 22 per cent in 2002.This represented the first decrease in HIV prevalence since antenatal clinics started monitoring the epidemic in 1992.Likando said statistics showed that in 2004 Swakopmund had a prevalence rate of 28,3 per cent, Grootfontein 28,1, Oshikango 23, Walvis Bay 25,7, Oshakati 25,2 and Katutura 22 per cent.Nelao Martin, who has been HIV positive for more than eight years, told the gathering that a wrong message was being sent about the epidemic – ‘HIV-AIDS kills’.She pointed out that the pupils from the Nweze primary and secondary school, who performed during the event, only concentrated on alcoholism and prostitution.”I was not a prostitute.I just experienced what most young people do.I had unprotected sex.Let us stop discriminating against people living with HIV-AIDS.HIV is only in our blood.We are not mentally disturbed.Despite my status, I am still a productive citizen of the country,” she told the crowd.Regional councillors, traditional authority leaders as well Government officials attended the event.Nampa