Reagan Malumo
30 June 2008
Katima Mulilo — The Government is concerned after data from the recent national HIV testing day shockingly revealed there is still an escalation in new infections in regions such as Caprivi where the prevalence rate of those tested stood at 20 percent.
Results from the May 9 nationwide testing day of several regions indicated that Caprivi, despite the heightening of the national HIV awareness campaign, has a prevalence rate of 20.4 percent and a record of 12 percent among people aged zero to 14 years.
It was further noted there is an increase among sexually active youths. According to the Minister of Health and Social Services, Dr Richard Kamwi, the country is on the verge of losing a majority of its energetic society. It is against this background that the ministry has decided to strengthen its campaign efforts in the region to redeem this HIV/AIDS ridden society from perishing.
The ministry began with another round of voluntary counselling and testing which spanned two days.
Speaking at the launch of the campaign at Sibbinda last week, Kamwi stressed the need for a well-coordinated awareness, prevention and treatment programme at constituency level in the entire northeastern region. He called for united stakeholder support to engage vigorously in scaling down infection in the region.
"The Ministry is therefore appealing to the regional leadership at all levels, from traditional, religious, civic, political and business leaders to get involved in the fight against HIV," said the Health and Social Services Minister.
He said the testing day must form an integral part of the region's disease management strategy which, amongst others, should seek to scale up prevention efforts and focus on the involvement of all Namibians.
He further expressed concern over limited involvement of men folk in accessing HIV/AIDS services in the region. About 65 percent of women countrywide were tested positive and found to be accessing treatment as compared to 35 percent of men. The minister bemoaned the limited use of condoms by the communities of Caprivi and singled it out to be one of the contributing factors to the escalating HIV prevalence rate in the region.
A study conducted by UNFPA to measure current sexual practices, habits and knowledge among young people in the Caprivi, Oshikoto and Otjozondjupa regions revealed that in the Caprivi Region, the usage of condoms among the age group of 30 to 39 was a mere 14 percent, which according to Kamwi was very low.
The study overall also shows that 67 percent of those who do not use condoms do so because they trust their partners, a belief hard to prove.
Kamwi indicated that an equally disturbing finding was that 33 percent of young people are sexually active at the age of 15 years old. He urged the youth to take precautions and concentrate on their studies. The health minister also used this opportunity to hand a vehicle to the Sibinda Health Centre to assist the community of Sibbinda constituency in fighting HIV/AIDS, malaria and TB.
A full house ambulance donated by UNFPA was handed over to the Sangwali Health Centre. Speaking at the handing-over ceremony of the ambulance, UNFPA Assistant Country Representative, Pandu Hailonga, said the donation was part of the agency's efforts to combat HIV/AIDS and malaria, as well as improving the maternal health care of communities.
She said the privilege came to Sangwali because the area is far from the town and that at times pregnant mothers face tough times accessing quick medical services due to lack of transport.
Her organization also donated 23 condom dispensers and 44 pelvic models to the Ministry of Health and Social Services to be used countrywide. The condom dispensers will assist communities to access condoms easily at all times whereas the pelvic models will help in condom demonstrations.
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