Our ‘Star of the week’ is the former president of the United States of America, George W Bush, who visited Namibia this week and called for continued support for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an initiative he launched in 2003 to assist Africa in its fight against HIV/AIDS.
Since 2004 to date, PEPFAR funding availed a staggering N$28, 5 billion to the Namibian health sector, one of the largest contributions to the country from external sources.
In Africa, 11.5 million people are on antiretroviral treatment, because of PEPFAR funding. “Millions would suffer if we were to stop now with PEPFAR,” said Bush on Wednesday, amidst uncertainty over whether the new U.S administration led by Donald Trump will continue to fund and support it. PEPFAR was maintained during Barack Obama’s presidency.