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  NAMIBIA - Country Profile Updated: Feb 2005  

AIDS Programmes

National Strategic Framework
Status

Completed for the period 1999-2004.

National policies
  • A national policy is being prepared.
  • A number of line ministries have issued sector specific HIV/AIDS policies.

Ministry of Health and Social Services
Private Bag 13198
Windhoek, Namibia
Tel: +264 61 203 9111
Fax: +264 61 227 607 / +264 221 332
Website: www.grnnet.gov.na

National AIDS Coordination Programme (NACOP)
Contact person: Mr. Abner Xoagub - Manager
Tel: +264 61 203 2218 / +264 61 203 2198/9
Fax: +264 61 224 155
Email:

  • Provides technical support within the Ministry of Health and to NGOs on development of HIV/AIDS responses. Also covers medical management of HIV; care and support system including home-based family care; education on risk reduction and safer sex and surveillance of HIV, AIDS and STDs.
  • HIV/AIDS Organisations:

    1. Africare
      Contact person: Cassie Chipere - Project Co-ordinator
      Windhoek, Namibia
      Email:

  • AIDS Law Unit
    Contact person: Michaela Figueira
    P.O. Box 604, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 223 356
    Fax: +264 61 234 953
    Email:
    Website: www.lac.org.na
    · Free legal advice and litigation service for people living with AIDS; HIV policy development; education and training on HIV and human rights; development and dissemination of education and training materials on HIV and human rights.
  • Catholic AIDS Action
    Contact person: Lucy Steinitz - National Coordinator
    P.O. Box 11525, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 239 463
    Fax: +264 61 276 364
    Email:
    Website: www.caa.org.na
  • LILONGO EPARU
    P.O. Box 1994
    Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 256 303
    Fax: +264 61 255 371
    Email:
    · Network of people living with HIV/AIDS with branches across the country.
  • Multimedia Campaign on Violence Against Women and Children
    Contact person: Jan Kruger
    Private Bag 1334, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 222 246
    Fax: +264 61 224 937
    Email:
  • Namibian Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (NNP+)
    Contact person: Emma Tuahepa (Director)
    P.O. Box 61592, Katutura, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 81 124 2794 / +264 61 261 122
    Fax: +264 61 261 778
    Email: /
    · Self-help; advocacy; awareness raising; lobbying.
  • Namibian Network of AIDS Organisations (NANASO)
    Contact person: Zack Mkhari (Director)
    P.O. Box 23281, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 81 124 2794 / +264 61 261 122
    Fax: +264 61 261 778
    Email:
    Website: www.sanaso.org.zw
    · National network facilitating research, exchange of information, access to resources, policy influence and advocacy, capacity building and providing technical assistance to its members, thus enhancing their capacities to mitigate the spread of HIV.
  • Positive Nation
    Contact person: Josef Uzangi
    Tel: +264 61 280 511
    Fax: +264 61 249 145
    Email:
    · Fund-raising and income generation activities; information dissemination; self-help groups; skills building.
  • Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, Chair
    Contact person: Dr Mandlhate
    154 Independence Avenue
    Sanlam Building, 13th Floor
    Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 204 6216
    Fax: +264 61 204 6207
    Mobile: +264 811 240 314
    Email: /
    Website: www.undp.org
    · Supports an expanded response and policy advice on preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS.
  • UNAIDS Country Advisor
    Contact person: Salvator Niyonzima
    154 Independence Avenue
    Sanlam Building, 13th Floor
    Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 204 6216
    Fax: +264 61 204 6207
    Mobile: +264 811 2465 43
    Email: /
    Website: www.undp.org
    · UNAIDS leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS.
  • Women's Solidarity
    P.O. Box 23941, Katutura, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 262 275
    Fax: +264 61 262 275
    Email:
    Website: www.womensolidarity.com
  • Health Communication Partnership/Johns Hopkins University
    Contact person: Nahum Gorelick - Country Programme Representative
    P.O. Box 5588, Auspannplatz, Windhoek, Namibia
    Tel: +264 61 247 950
    Fax: +264 61 247 953
    Email: /
    · Focuses on research and communication development; includes 26-part radio series called “The Suzie and Shafa Show” which aims to explore relationships between youth lifestyles and HIV/AIDS. Research into prevention of mother-to-child transmission and voluntary counselling and testing services in Namibia.

    Communication and Research Strategies involve strategic planning, trust building, multi-sectoral partnerships, multi-channel approach, engaging men, mass media and branding of services, community mobilization, capacity building, audiences, contextual messages and gender issues. Primary audiences being the youth, people living with HIV/AIDS and Orphans and other Vulnerable Children.
Country Indicators
Demographic data Year Estimate Source
Total population (thousands) 2004 2,011 UN population division database
Female population aged 15-24 (thousands) 2004 201 UN population division database
Population aged 15-49 (thousands) 2004 931 UN population division database
Annual population growth rate (%) 1992-2002 2.7 UN population division database
% of urban population 2003 32.2 UN population division database
Average annual growth rate of urban population 2000-2005 3.04 UN population division database
Crude birth rate (births per 1,000 pop.) 2004 32 UN population division database
Crude death rate (deaths per 1,000 pop.) 19.4 UN population division database
Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 live births) 2000 300 WHO (WHR2004)/UNICEF
Life expectancy at birth (years) 2002 49.3 World Health Report 2004, WHO
Total fertility rate 2002 4.6 World Health Report 2004, WHO
Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 2000 56 World Health Report 2004, WHO
Under 5 mortality rate (per 1,000 live births) 2000 85 World Health Report 2004, WHO
For consistency reasons the data used in the above table are taken from official UN publications
Socio-economic data Year Estimate Source
Gross national income, ppp, per capita (Int.$) 2002 6650 UN population division database
Gross domestic product, per capita % growth 2001-2002 1.2 World Bank
Per capita total expenditure on health (Int.$) 2001 342 World Health Report 2004, WHO
General government expenditure on health as % of total expenditure on health 2001 67.8 World Health Report 2004, WHO
Total adult illiteracy rate 2000 18 UNESCO
Adult male illiteracy rate 2000 17.2 UNESCO
Adult female illiteracy rate 2000 18.8 UNESCO
Gross primary school enrolment ratio, male 2000/2001 112 UNESCO
Gross primary school enrolment ratio, female 1997 113 UNESCO
Gross secondary school enrolment ratio, male 1997 58 UNESCO
Gross secondary school enrolment ratio, female 1997 65 UNESCO
For consistency reasons the data used in the above table are taken from official UN publications

Source: WHO/UNAIDS epidemiological fact sheets on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2004 Update.
Email:
Epidemiological Fact Sheet
Estimated number of adults and children living with HIV/AIDS, end of 2003
These estimates include all people with HIV infection, whether or not they have developed symptoms of AIDS, alive at the end of 2003:
Adults and children 210,000  
Adults (15-49) 200,000 Adult rate(%) 21.3
Women (15-49) 110,000  
Children (0-15) 15,000  
Estimated number of deaths due to AIDS
Estimated number of adults and children who died of AIDS during 2003:
Deaths in 2003 16,000  
Estimated number of orphans
Estimated number of children who have lost their mother or father or both parents to AIDS and who were alive and under age 17 at the end of 2003:
Current living orphans 57,000  

Assessment of the epidemiological situation (2004)

National sentinel surveys have been conducted among antenatal clinic attendees in Namibia since 1992. Windhoek, the capital, and Walvis Bay are the major urban areas, however, data is only available from Walvis Bay since1998. HIV prevalence among antenatal clinic attendees tested increased rapidly from 4 percent in 1991-1992 to 30 percent in 2000. In 2002, 26 percent of antenatal women tested in the major urban centers were HIV positive. Outside of the major urban areas, HIV prevalence information among antenatal women was available from eight sites in 1991-1992 and increased to 16 by 2000. Median HIV prevalence among antenatal women increased from 3 percent in 1991-1992 to 17 percent in 1996 and increased again to 22 percent in 2002. From the 16 sentinel sites in 2002, HIV prevalence among antenatal women tested ranged from 9 percent in Opuwo to over 40 percent in Katima Mulilo.

HIV prevalence among antenatal women 15-24 tested in all the sites increased from less than 10 percent in 1994 to 18 percent in 2002.

There is no information available on HIV prevalence among sex workers.

In 1998, a median of 42 percent of STD clinic patients tested in Windhoek and Walvis Bay were HIV positive. Median prevalence from the 11 sites outside of the major urban areas was 34 percent of STD clinic patients tested in 1998. Prevalence ranged from 10 to 61 percent.



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