Our Star of the Week is the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MoHSS) for having gone beyond achieving the HIV fast-track targets of UNAIDS by ensuring more than 90 of people living with HIV know their status and are on treatment while their viral load is suppressed. The ministry’s Executive Director Ben Nangombe recently shared the news at the launch of the national antiretroviral treatment guidelines that according to the Namibia Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (NAMPHIA) conducted in 2017, showed Namibia has gone beyond the 90:90;90 UNAIDS fast-track targets. These targets are geared towards ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
Nangombe said Namibia’s HIV fast-track targets now stand at 94:96:95 percent. Ministry of Health medical officer for operation and research and programme monitoring Dr Assegid Mengistu said out of 204 207 people estimated to be living with HIV, 191 954 (who represent 94) percent know their status. He said out of those who know their status, nearly 184 276 who represent 96 percent are on treatment. He added that out of those who are on treatment nearly 175 062 people, who represent 95 percent, have their viral load suppressed.
This means that a person with low or undetectable viral load cannot sexually transmit HIV. Mengistu added that a person with low viral load’s quality of life also improves.