National Strategic Framework
Status
Completed (2001-2004)

• National policy on HIV/AIDS.
• Sectoral HIV/AIDS policies in education, health and workplace.

Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (MOHSW)
Department of Health
Contact person: Nthabiseng Mabitle
P.O. Box 514, Maseru 100, Lesotho
Tel: +266 22 314 404 / +266 22 322 180
Fax: +266 22 310 667
Website: www.lesotho.gov.ls

Lesotho AIDS Programme Coordinating Authority (LAPCA)
Contact person: Mrs Monaheng, Director
P.O. Box 11232, Maseru 100, Lesotho
Tel: +266 22 326 794 / +266 22 322 180
Fax: +266 22 327 210 / +266 22 323 010

HIV/AIDS Organisations:

1. Care Lesotho
   Contact person: Gillian Forest
   P.O. Box 682, Maseru 100, Lesotho
   Tel: +266 22 314 398
   Fax: +266 22 310 195
   Email: [email protected] / [email protected]
   Website: www.caresa-lesotho.org.za
   · CARE works with civil society, private sector and government partners to develop strategies for HIV/AIDS mitigation for vulnerable groups.
2. Christian Health Association of Lesotho (CHAL)
   Contact person: Agnes Lephoto
   P.O. Box 1632, Maseru 140
   Tel: +266 22 312 500
   Fax: +266 22 310 314
   Email: [email protected]
   · Medical care; advice; support; exchange of information; access to resources; policy influence and advocacy; capacity building and providing technical assistance on HIV/AIDS.
3. The Green Crescent Trust
   Contact person: Dr. Abdul Elgoni and Dawood Ponoane
   P.O. Box 0838, Maseru 105, Lesotho
   Tel: +266 22 866 923
   Fax: +266 22 310 322
   Email: [email protected]
   

4. Lesotho Network of AIDS Service Organisations (LENASO)
   Contact: Mrs Lois Sebatane
   P. O. Box 553, Ladybrand 9745, South Africa
   Tel: +266 22 322 038 Ext 3971
   Tel: +266 22 340 474 / +266 22 213 005
   Fax: +266 22 340 000
   Email: [email protected]
   Website: www.sanaso.org.zw
5. Maseru Children€™s Village
   Contact person: Mphonyane Mofokeng MCV Manager
   P.O. Box 151, Maseru 100
   Tel: +266 22 322 559
   Email: [email protected]
   · HIV/AIDS orphanage; networking; care and support; advocacy; capacity building and providing technical assistance.
6. Positive Action - Lesotho
   Contact person: Ingo Seifert
   P.O. Box 1895, Maseru 100
   Tel: +266 22 885 0069
   Email: [email protected]
   Website: www.positive-action.org
   · Fund-raising and income generation activities; information dissemination; self-help groups; skills building.
7. Population Services International (PSI)
   Contact person: Aaron Maselwane, Programme Manager
   P.O. Box 15863, Maseru, Lesotho
   Tel: +266 22 236 825
   Fax: +266 22 311 200
   Email: [email protected]
   · Uses social marketing to deliver health products, services and information that enable low-income and other vulnerable people to lead healthier lives.
8. Red Cross Society - Lesotho
   P.O. Box 366, Maseru 100
   Tel: +266 22 313 911
   Fax: +266 22 310 166
   Email: [email protected]
   · Training; technical assistance; education; information; awareness; support; care; income generation activities; advocacy.
9. Society of Women and AIDS in Africa (SWAA)
   P.O. Box 200, Maseru
   Tel: +266 22 311 906
   Fax: +266 22 323 092
   · Counselling; training; education; information; awareness; support; care; income generation activities; advocacy.
10. Expanded UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, Chair
    Ms. Hodan Haji Mohamud
    UNDP Resident Representative/UN Resident Coordinator
    P.O. Box 301
    Maseru 100, Lesotho
    Tel: +266 22 313 790
    Fax: +266 22 310 042
    Email: [email protected]
    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.
11. UNAIDS Country Coordinator
    Contact person: Tim Rwabuhemba
    P.O. Box 301, Maseru 100, Lesotho
    Tel: +266 22 313 790
    Fax: +266 22 313 571
    Email: [email protected]
    Website: www.unaids.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.

For consistency reasons the data used in the above table are taken from official UN publications

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: [email protected]

Assessment of the epidemiological situation (2004)

HIV information among antenatal clinic attendees is available from sentinel surveillance studies beginning in 1991. The sentinel surveillance sites selected are from the lowlands and do also include women from the mountain areas such as Quthing and Mokhotlong. In Maseru and Mafeteng, the major urban areas, 5 percent of antenatal clinic women tested HIV positive in early 1990s. However, in 1994, HIV prevalence among antenatal clinic attendees rose dramatically to over 20 percent. By 2003, the median prevalence of antenatal clinic women tested in all six sentinel sites, was 30 percent. HIV prevalence among women tested in Leribe, Maluti, and Quthing increased from 2 percent in 1991 to over 20 percent in 1996. The median syphilis prevalence among antenatal women was 2.7 percent in 2003.

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

HIV sentinel surveillance information is available for STD clinic patients since the early 1990s. In Maseru, HIV prevalence among STD clinic patients tested increased from 6 percent in 1989 to 11 percent in 1993. In 2000, 65 percent of STD patients tested were HIV positive. Outside of Maseru, HIV prevalence among STD clinic patients increased from 6 percent in 1991 to 59 percent in 1996. In 2000, 51 percent of patients tested were HIV positive. However, this figure may well be biased as testing took place at various hospitals and there is no standardized protocol for testing in hospitals.