Namibia : HIV as a National Issue

Namibia is located on the southwestern coast of Africa, bordering Angola, Botswana, Zambia, South Africa, and the Atlantic Ocean. Namibia has a population of 2,265,000, as of 2016. Namibia has many challenges, including food insecurity and malnutrition, access to health services, unequal distribution of wealth, but HIV/AIDS is one of the country’s leading challenges. It is estimated that the overall adult infection rate of HIV/AIDS is 15.4% and it is the leading cause of death in Namibia. Adults ages 18-24 are the most at-risk for the disease. Some of the major risk factors are declining condom use, misinformation, social stigma, and alcohol use. The World Health Organization has worked to implement family planning services, disclosure between partners about their disease status, and enforce voluntary testing throughout the country. Antiretroviral therapy can slow the multiplication of the disease, but access is limited. Informative programs about HIV/AIDS transmission and prevention are necessary to decrease the prevalence of the disease