By: Uakutura Kambaekua
HIV prevalence in Namibia fell gradually from 14.4 % in 2002 to 8.54 % in 2022, a downturn that has been largely driven by the steady scale-up of antiretroviral therapy (ART), and an early and continuous partnership withthe World Health Organisation (WHO), other UN agencies, various development partners, civil society and communities.
Since the first HIV case in 1986, Namibia now has a generalised HIV epidemic with 8.54% of Namibians living with HIV.
These statistics were shared by the WHO representative Dr Charles Sagoe-Moses during the launch and celebration of the 75th World Health Day anniversary on last Thursday.
Sagoe-Moses said this achievement was the result of great efforts by various HIV programmes, including an early and continuous partnership of WHO and other UN agencies, the United States government and other partners.
He said that Namibia is one of the first high-burden countries to approach epidemic control estimated to be at 92-99-94 as defined by the UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment cascade.
He said new HIV infections have halved since 2004, and life expectancy increased by 12 years, from 51 years in 2001 to 63 years in 2020.
According to the government, Namibia’s investment in HIV pandemic control resulted in a 65% decline in the number of new infections and a 74% decline in HIV-related deaths since 2004.
“Namibia made considerable progress in the prevention of mother to child transmission. In 2022, the country attained a universal coverage of over 95% for the first antennal care visit, pregnant women HIV and syphilis testing and maternal anti-retroviral therapy,” the government said in a statement.
It was also revealed that wild poliovirus cases have decreased by over 99% since 1988, from an estimated 350,000 cases in more than 125 endemic countries to six reported cases in 2021.
“Of the three strains of wild poliovirus (type 1, type 2 and type 3), wild poliovirus type 2 was eradicated in 1999 and wild poliovirus type 3 was eradicated in 2020. As of 2022, endemic wild poliovirus type 1 remains in two countries: Pakistan and Afghanistan,” Sagoe-Moses noted.
He said Namibia remained polio-free since October 2008 and has sustained investment in integrated polio surveillance in partnership with WHO and other agencies.
Further statistics also disclosed that Namibia witnessed success in malaria control, after experiencing a 95 % decrease in reported malaria cases from 66,141 in 2017 to 3,404 in 2019 while malaria deaths dropped by over 83% from 6,500 to seven during the same period.
Although the country has seen a surge in malaria cases and deaths in recent years, especially in regions sharing a border with Angola – Kavango East, Kavango West, Zambezi and Ohangwena, the the WHO representative said the government remains vigilant in improving coverage of malaria interventions among most at-risk populations.
These include pregnant women, children under five, people living with HIV, and those living in hard-to-reach areas.
Similarly, Namibia, with the support of WHO, concluded a community-based research project with the aim of strengthening national capabilities for the implementation and scaling up of evidence-based, innovative, diversified and environmentally sound malaria vector control interventions.
Sagoe-Moses further noted that the end of the Hepatitis E outbreak in March 2022 is another major achievement which signifies the importance of partnerships and multisectoral response in outbreak control.
