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CDC Global HIV/AIDS Activities - Namibia

HIV/AIDS in Namibia

Namibia has a severe, generalized HIV epidemic with an estimated 230,000 HIV-infected individuals in a population of 2.1 million people. Namibia's HIV prevalence of 19.9% in pregnant women is one of the five highest in the world. HIV transmission occurs almost exclusively through heterosexual contact or through mother-to-child transmission. Social, economic, and cultural factors such as population migrations, disempowered women, alcohol abuse, stigma, lack of awareness, and lack of male circumcision help drive the epidemic. The TB case rate in Namibia is the highest in the world, with HIV co-infection estimated at 60%. TB continues to be the leading cause of death for people with HIV, even with the widespread availability of ART.

CDC HIV/AIDS Activities in Namibia

Prevention:

  • Supporting programs that promote abstinence, faithfulness, and reduction of the number of sexual partners, as well as programs that address male behavior.
  • Supporting activities that mitigate the role of alcohol abuse in HIV transmission.
  • Promoting the involvement of HIV-positive individuals in delivering prevention messages.

Care:

  • Supporting dissemination of Integrated Management of Adult Illness (IMAI) practices.
  • Expanding access to palliative care.
  • Promoting routine provider-initiated counseling and testing in order to improve access to prevention, care, and treatment for people living with HIV/AIDS..

Treatment:

  • Increasing coverage to women eligible for prevention of mother-to-child transmission services with a full course of ART prophylaxis and plans to add a second drug to the current protocol.
  • Supporting the medical facilities providing HIV care by providing rapid test kits, antiretroviral drugs, laboratory testing, personnel, training, management support, and technical assistance.
  • Increasing linkages between TB and HIV testing and care and treatment services.

Laboratory, Strategic Information, and Other Capacity Building:

  • Building laboratory capacity to provide services and maintain quality.
  • Providing technical assistance for national program management, pharmaceutical management and logistics, and senior healthcare personnel.
  • Supporting laboratory services, training, infrastructure improvements, and information system development.

 

Last modified: October 23, 2008
Last reviewed: October 23, 2008
Content Source:
Global AIDS Program (GAP)
National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention