WINDHOEK – Namibia will continue to receive funding under the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) that supports the highly commended Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programmes across the country.
President Hifikepunye Pohamba was invited to a special meeting by the US Secretary of State John Kerry last Friday, where Namibia was praised for making significant improvements in the fight against HIV/AIDS, particularly in respect of PMTCT. Kerry met Pohamba on the margins of the 68th United Nations General Assembly. During an event to mark the 10th anniversary of PEPFAR, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry unveiled a plan to enter into Country Health Partnerships – a new model of collaborative work – with Namibia, Rwanda and South Africa. The new initiative is intended to strengthen collaboration with selected partner governments leading to greater and mutual accountability and long-term sustainability.
Kerry says Namibia is on the front lines of this effort and responded in extraordinary ways in order to care for its own people. “You’re not just investing in your own health capacity, but you are helping the charge to define a new model for U.S. assistance. And we thank you for that. It’s one that empowers and emphasizes co-investment, collaboration, and true partnership. And none of these things can work if it isn’t transformed into sustainability, if it doesn’t become, really, a country’s own initiative” says Kerry. He commended Namibia for being a good partner in health, shared responsibility, and shared accountability, budget transparency, saying this was shown by improved data collection and analysis.
Kerry says the U.S. will continue to be responsible for the stewardship of its funds, and congressional mandates will remain in effect, adding that the U.S. believes that by sharing more decisions with countries, they can advance the principles of country ownership that both him and President Barack Obama believe in so strongly. The Secretary of State also announced that the U.S. will host the next Global Fund Replenishment Meeting in Washington D.C. in December this year. He highlighted the strong commitment from other donors to support the successful replenishment of the Global Fund to fight HIV/Aids, tuberculosis and malaria.
According to a statement by UNAIDS earlier this year, Germany, the Nordic countries, France and the United Kingdom announced important contributions to the Global Fund for the 2014–2016 period to support countries in their response to HIV, tuberculosis and malaria. President Hifikepunye Pohamba attended the meeting with Rwandan President Paul Kagame, South African Ambassador to the United States Ebrahim Rasool and global health leaders, including UNAIDS Executive Director, Michel Sidibé.
By Tonateni Shidhudhu