Highest HIV, highest suppression
Namibia has done extremely well in combating HIV and Aids and the latest survey indicates that those regions with the highest burden of the disease, also have the highest suppression rates.
Namibia's densely populated northern regions, including Zambezi, Omusati, and Kavango, remain most affected by the HIV epidemic but have also achieved some of the highest levels of viral load suppression among HIV-positive residents which means the risk of transmitting the virus are close to zero.
The results of the Namibian Population-based HIV impact assessment (Namphia), the most comprehensive survey of its kind in Namibia to date, indicated a 22.3% prevalence of HIV in the Zambezi Region, the highest in the country.
Yet the numbers also show a slight decrease in HIV prevalence since 2013, when it was estimated to be 23.7%.
At the same time, HIV-positive residents in the region have achieved an overall viral load suppression of 77.1%, compared to 55.2% viral load suppression among the 7.6% HIV-positive residents in the Kunene.
At the launch of the Namphia results last week it was stated that adult HIV prevalence continues to be highest along the northern borders of Namibia where the population density is higher.
But the results also indicated that geographically, the regions with the highest HIV prevalence generally also had the highest proportion of individuals who had achieved viral load suppression.
And, as in the Kunene Region with the lowest HIV prevalence of 7.6%, it correspondingly had the lowest level of viral suppression among HIV-positive adults, at 55.2%.
The higher rate of HIV infection in those areas is also linked to the major trucking routes linking Namibia to neighbouring countries as well as other factors, including culture, access to health facilities, funding and other contributing issues.
Namibia's response to the high rate of infection in these areas over the past four years has received praised nevertheless.
In 2014 the American President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) provided additional funds to Namibia in order to address the regional disparities that have been identified in HIV prevalence, and as a result there has been a successful implementation and strengthening of services which has seen improved HIV intervention, care and treatment services that have resulted in a decrease of HIV prevalence and other positive outcomes.
Regional highs and lows
Ohangwena, with a 17.9% rate of HIV prevalence, has the highest rate of viral suppression among HIV-positive adults in the country totalling 86.2%.
The Oshana Region, where 15.8% of adults live with HIV, has an 84.9% viral load suppression rate, followed by Omusati, where 83% of the 16.9% of adults living with HIV have achieved viral load suppression.
In the Oshikoto Region, 79.7% of the 17.3% of adults living with HIV have achieved viral suppression.
In Kavango West 12.1% of adults live with HIV, and 78.7% of those adults have achieved viral suppression.
Fourteen and half per cent of adults in the Kavango East region live with HIV, 72.3% of who have reached viral suppression.
The Khomas Region, with the second lowest rate of HIV prevalence in Namibia at 8.3%, has achieved 73.6% viral load suppression.
Viral load suppression among the 10.6% of HIV-positive residents in the Erongo Region, has reached 75%. One of the key highlights of the Namphia survey was the finding that viral load suppression in HIV-positive populations in the country has surpassed the global target of 73% by 2020.
Overall, adults aged 15 to 64 years in Namibia have achieved 77.4% viral suppression, with 81.7% among women and 69.6% among males.
Viral load suppression among HIV-positive people was highest among older adults, with a rate of 92.5% of HIV-positive women aged 55 to 64 years, and 86.3% among HIV-positive males of that age group.
In contrast, viral load suppression among young males between the ages 25 to 34 was the lowest at 50.5%, and 65.4% among young HIV-positive females aged 15 to 24 years.
The difference in viral load suppression among females and males was most pronounced among those aged 25 to 35 years, with HIV-positive females at 76.5% and males at 50.5%.
The Namphia survey further indicated that among males aged between 15 and 64 years, prevalence of self-reported complete male circumcision, including non-medical and medical) was 36.4%.
Regionally, circumcision rates varied, from a low of 17.8% in the Hardap Region to a high of 60.2% in the Kunene Region.
JANA-MARI SMITH
The results of the Namibian Population-based HIV impact assessment (Namphia), the most comprehensive survey of its kind in Namibia to date, indicated a 22.3% prevalence of HIV in the Zambezi Region, the highest in the country.
Yet the numbers also show a slight decrease in HIV prevalence since 2013, when it was estimated to be 23.7%.
At the same time, HIV-positive residents in the region have achieved an overall viral load suppression of 77.1%, compared to 55.2% viral load suppression among the 7.6% HIV-positive residents in the Kunene.
At the launch of the Namphia results last week it was stated that adult HIV prevalence continues to be highest along the northern borders of Namibia where the population density is higher.
But the results also indicated that geographically, the regions with the highest HIV prevalence generally also had the highest proportion of individuals who had achieved viral load suppression.
And, as in the Kunene Region with the lowest HIV prevalence of 7.6%, it correspondingly had the lowest level of viral suppression among HIV-positive adults, at 55.2%.
The higher rate of HIV infection in those areas is also linked to the major trucking routes linking Namibia to neighbouring countries as well as other factors, including culture, access to health facilities, funding and other contributing issues.
Namibia's response to the high rate of infection in these areas over the past four years has received praised nevertheless.
In 2014 the American President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) provided additional funds to Namibia in order to address the regional disparities that have been identified in HIV prevalence, and as a result there has been a successful implementation and strengthening of services which has seen improved HIV intervention, care and treatment services that have resulted in a decrease of HIV prevalence and other positive outcomes.
Regional highs and lows
Ohangwena, with a 17.9% rate of HIV prevalence, has the highest rate of viral suppression among HIV-positive adults in the country totalling 86.2%.
The Oshana Region, where 15.8% of adults live with HIV, has an 84.9% viral load suppression rate, followed by Omusati, where 83% of the 16.9% of adults living with HIV have achieved viral load suppression.
In the Oshikoto Region, 79.7% of the 17.3% of adults living with HIV have achieved viral suppression.
In Kavango West 12.1% of adults live with HIV, and 78.7% of those adults have achieved viral suppression.
Fourteen and half per cent of adults in the Kavango East region live with HIV, 72.3% of who have reached viral suppression.
The Khomas Region, with the second lowest rate of HIV prevalence in Namibia at 8.3%, has achieved 73.6% viral load suppression.
Viral load suppression among the 10.6% of HIV-positive residents in the Erongo Region, has reached 75%. One of the key highlights of the Namphia survey was the finding that viral load suppression in HIV-positive populations in the country has surpassed the global target of 73% by 2020.
Overall, adults aged 15 to 64 years in Namibia have achieved 77.4% viral suppression, with 81.7% among women and 69.6% among males.
Viral load suppression among HIV-positive people was highest among older adults, with a rate of 92.5% of HIV-positive women aged 55 to 64 years, and 86.3% among HIV-positive males of that age group.
In contrast, viral load suppression among young males between the ages 25 to 34 was the lowest at 50.5%, and 65.4% among young HIV-positive females aged 15 to 24 years.
The difference in viral load suppression among females and males was most pronounced among those aged 25 to 35 years, with HIV-positive females at 76.5% and males at 50.5%.
The Namphia survey further indicated that among males aged between 15 and 64 years, prevalence of self-reported complete male circumcision, including non-medical and medical) was 36.4%.
Regionally, circumcision rates varied, from a low of 17.8% in the Hardap Region to a high of 60.2% in the Kunene Region.
JANA-MARI SMITH
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