Anti-AIDS campaigners fear neglect of Kunene will fuel spread of disease

HIV-AIDS and development campaigners in the Kunene Region fear that if no proper support is forthcoming, the “forgotten” area could see a dramatic increase in the number of infected people.

At nine per cent, Kunene has the lowest HIV prevalence rate in the country, but it has seen some steep increases recently because it did not receive the treatment and prevention efforts it deserved. Briefing a European Commission delegation that visited the town recently, Dr Ebong Akpabio, who heads the management of the Regional AIDS Co-ordinating Committee (Racoc), said the prevalence rate had risen from six per cent in 1998 to seven per cent in 2000, hitting nine per cent at the time of the last survey in 2002.He said transport and staff costs hampered outreach programmes to rural areas in the Kunene Region.The region also has the lowest literacy rate – 57 per cent – which affected campaigns to raise awareness of the disease.Kunene, with a population of 69 000, is known for the nomadic Himba community who live there.Apart from the lowest prevalence rate, it also has the least number of orphans – eight per cent.Dr Akpabio said the HIV-TB co-infection was causing havoc in the community.Because of transport and staff limits, the health authorities were unable to trace those who defaulted on treatment.Akpabio said because of the staff shortage, they recruited volunteers to do home-based care but there was also a high drop-out rate because of a lack of incentives, supervision and co-ordination.At some stage, 60 per cent of the beds in the Kunene Region hospitals were occupied by TB patients while there was also no voluntary testing and counselling centres in the region which includes towns such as Khorixas, Outjo and Opuwo.European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson was, however, impressed with the hands-on approach of the region’s health authorities to HIV-AIDS.”It looks impressive.This type of work needs to be well supported and followed up,” he said.He said it appeared that Namibia was doing well in its efforts to fight HIV-AIDS.Nielson said anti-AIDS drugs were an element of the campaign but were not the only way to tackle the disease and this was reflected in the approach that Kunene had taken.The region has yet to get anti-retroviral drugs for its AIDS patients.Akpabio said the drugs would be available next year.Briefing a European Commission delegation that visited the town recently, Dr Ebong Akpabio, who heads the management of the Regional AIDS Co-ordinating Committee (Racoc), said the prevalence rate had risen from six per cent in 1998 to seven per cent in 2000, hitting nine per cent at the time of the last survey in 2002.He said transport and staff costs hampered outreach programmes to rural areas in the Kunene Region.The region also has the lowest literacy rate – 57 per cent – which affected campaigns to raise awareness of the disease.Kunene, with a population of 69 000, is known for the nomadic Himba community who live there.Apart from the lowest prevalence rate, it also has the least number of orphans – eight per cent.Dr Akpabio said the HIV-TB co-infection was causing havoc in the community.Because of transport and staff limits, the health authorities were unable to trace those who defaulted on treatment.Akpabio said because of the staff shortage, they recruited volunteers to do home-based care but there was also a high drop-out rate because of a lack of incentives, supervision and co-ordination.At some stage, 60 per cent of the beds in the Kunene Region hospitals were occupied by TB patients while there was also no voluntary testing and counselling centres in the region which includes towns such as Khorixas, Outjo and Opuwo.European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid Poul Nielson was, however, impressed with the hands-on approach of the region’s health authorities to HIV-AIDS.”It looks impressive.This type of work needs to be well supported and followed up,” he said.He said it appeared that Namibia was doing well in its efforts to fight HIV-AIDS.Nielson said anti-AIDS drugs were an element of the campaign but were not the only way to tackle the disease and this was reflected in the approach that Kunene had taken.The region has yet to get anti-retroviral drugs for its AIDS patients.Akpabio said the drugs would be available next year.