Kids on HIV treatment

A whopping 5 161 children aged between 10 and 14 are on anti-retroviral treatment (ART) in the country - 2 724 girls and 2 437 boys. A further 6 107 children aged between 15 and 19 are on ART - 3 523 girls and 2 584 boys. These statistics were revealed recently during stakeholder meeting by Society for Family Health (SFH) country director Taimi Amaambo.According to her presentation, 6 017 women aged 20 to 24 are being treated for HIV, while 1 737 men aged 20 to 24 are on ART. She added that HIV infection in Namibia is gender-skewed and leans more towards women. “Given their age group of 10 to 14 years old, and their sexual debut at 18 years, meaning the age at first sexual intercourse, the majority of these children got infected through the mother during or after pregnancy. “Also, note that sexual violence among children has been widely reported in our media. If comprehensive and prompt services are not provided to those sexually assaulted, then this would increase the risk of HIV infection. “This, therefore, points to the fact that not all the 10 to 14 year olds currently on ART got infected through their mothers,” said Amaambo.In 2015, it was reported that almost half of Namibia's new HIV infections occur in young women aged between 15 and 24. The most recent figures indicate that youth aged between 15 and 24 make up 43% of all new infections in the country.Amaambo said 271 girls fell pregnant in the Oshikoto Region during 2017, ranging the ages of 12 and upwards. According to her, 33% of these pregnant girls are below the age of 18 years, which the average grade in which these girls fell pregnant was grade 9.She added 42% of these girls were impregnated by 'unknown men', 26% by learners, 24% by working men and 9% by unemployed men. The term 'unknown men' means schools could not obtain information about who had impregnated 42% of girls in the Oshikoto Region. “Schools record the reasons for dropouts and especially information about who impregnated girls. This information may not always be readily available, as the girl may not be willing to disclose such information, among other reasons.”JEMIMA BEUKES

Kids on HIV treatment

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-21

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Kids on HIV treatment

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-21

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