Namibia marks World AIDS Day with new HIV treatment push
Elizabeth KheibesWindhoek
Namibia used this year’s World AIDS Day commemoration to celebrate record-breaking achievements in the fight against HIV and to unveil two new national policy documents aimed at guiding the country’s efforts to end the disease by 2030.
Addressing the event in Otjiwarongo on Monday, health minister Esperance Luvindao hailed the country’s progress but warned that vulnerable groups such as men, adolescents and children remain at risk of being left behind.
Luvindao opened her remarks with a moment of silence, emphasising that the day is “an act of national unity” and a time to honour those lost to the epidemic.
She said Namibia has “not just reached the mountain top” but surpassed global expectations by exceeding the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, with 96% of people living with HIV knowing their status, 98% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 98% of those receiving therapy virally suppressed. “This is a victory for our health workers, our partners and every citizen who chose to get tested,” she said.
Modern treatment
The minister stressed, however, that the fight is far from over. She singled out the potential of Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable treatment she described as a “game-changer” capable of transforming both HIV prevention and long-term adherence.
The drug’s current price remains a barrier to public rollout, but Luvindao said the ministry has already started the regulatory processes needed for its introduction in the private sector.
She said government will continue advocating globally for price reductions to ensure equitable access. “No one should be denied the future because of their income.”
The minister also noted that Namibia’s HIV response faces growing financial pressures as donor contributions decline. While expressing gratitude to PEPFAR, the Global Fund, and UNAIDS, she emphasised that Namibia has increased domestic investment and is already procuring its own antiretroviral medicines.
Dignified health support
A major highlight of the ceremony was the launch of the 7th edition of the ART guidelines 2025, which modernise clinical approaches for managing HIV, addressing unsuppressed viral loads, advanced disease, and the integration of non-communicable diseases into routine HIV care.
Luvindao also launched the 4th edition of the PMTCT guidelines, positioning Namibia to accelerate progress toward the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
The new guidelines expand prevention options for pregnant women, strengthen monitoring of mothers’ viral loads, and enhance early testing and follow-up for infants.
“These guidelines ensure that every child in Namibia has the right to be born healthy, and every mother is supported with dignity,” Luvindao said.
Namibia used this year’s World AIDS Day commemoration to celebrate record-breaking achievements in the fight against HIV and to unveil two new national policy documents aimed at guiding the country’s efforts to end the disease by 2030.
Addressing the event in Otjiwarongo on Monday, health minister Esperance Luvindao hailed the country’s progress but warned that vulnerable groups such as men, adolescents and children remain at risk of being left behind.
Luvindao opened her remarks with a moment of silence, emphasising that the day is “an act of national unity” and a time to honour those lost to the epidemic.
She said Namibia has “not just reached the mountain top” but surpassed global expectations by exceeding the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, with 96% of people living with HIV knowing their status, 98% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 98% of those receiving therapy virally suppressed. “This is a victory for our health workers, our partners and every citizen who chose to get tested,” she said.
Modern treatment
The minister stressed, however, that the fight is far from over. She singled out the potential of Lenacapavir, a twice-yearly injectable treatment she described as a “game-changer” capable of transforming both HIV prevention and long-term adherence.
The drug’s current price remains a barrier to public rollout, but Luvindao said the ministry has already started the regulatory processes needed for its introduction in the private sector.
She said government will continue advocating globally for price reductions to ensure equitable access. “No one should be denied the future because of their income.”
The minister also noted that Namibia’s HIV response faces growing financial pressures as donor contributions decline. While expressing gratitude to PEPFAR, the Global Fund, and UNAIDS, she emphasised that Namibia has increased domestic investment and is already procuring its own antiretroviral medicines.
Dignified health support
A major highlight of the ceremony was the launch of the 7th edition of the ART guidelines 2025, which modernise clinical approaches for managing HIV, addressing unsuppressed viral loads, advanced disease, and the integration of non-communicable diseases into routine HIV care.
Luvindao also launched the 4th edition of the PMTCT guidelines, positioning Namibia to accelerate progress toward the triple elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B.
The new guidelines expand prevention options for pregnant women, strengthen monitoring of mothers’ viral loads, and enhance early testing and follow-up for infants.
“These guidelines ensure that every child in Namibia has the right to be born healthy, and every mother is supported with dignity,” Luvindao said.
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