Young girls exposed to HIV

Namibian girls are increasingly being exposed to the risk of HIV infection, because of lack of access to health services, as well as economic difficulties that drive them into the arms of sugar daddies. This is according to Legal Assistance Centre (LAC) public outreach manager Rachel Coomer, who was speaking yesterday on the eve of World Aids Day commemorations today Coomer also argued that although health services are available to young girls, they need to be confident that they will indeed be able to access them. “The huge challenge is that we do not have enough information. Young girls need to know that condoms are important and do not only serve as a contraceptive,” she said. Informal reports indicate that young girls are accessing birth control in the form of injections or pills and are using these as primary protection during sex. Coomer said that Namibia has massive socio-economic challenges, which drive girls into the arms of so-called sugar daddies. “But we have made significant strides towards education, which has lifted the financial burden from people,” she added. Coomer’s sentiments echo those of United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Representative for Namibia, Micaela Marques de Sousa, who said recently that teenagers are not receiving treatment and remain susceptible to infection, despite commendable advances made in the prevention, treatment and care of HIV. As part of its World Aids day commemorations, Namibia will officially launch its Combination Prevention Strategy (CPS) to further increase the uptake of HIV testing and expand the availability of anti-retroviral treatment. Namibia has seen a drop of nearly 50% in new HIV infections over the last 15 years; a more than 60% reduction in new HIV infections among children, while more than 132 000 Namibians are on anti-retroviral treatment – a coverage rate of 90%. Furthermore, 95% of all women in Namibia have access to HIV medicines to prevent mother-to-child transmission. However, while these figures indicate a pandemic under relative control, there is much cause for concern. UNAIDS 2014 figures show that between 240 000 and 280 000 people are living with HIV in Namibia, while the prevalence rate is roughly 16% for people aged 15 to 49. Of those living with HIV, 150 000 are women and 14 000 are children under the age of 14. About 93 000 children have been orphaned by Aids. The most recent figures indicate that the youth, aged between 15 and 24, make up 43% of all new infections in the country. According to UNAIDS’ global statistics the world is on track to meet its investment target of US$22 billion for a response to the pandemic and concrete action over the next 15 years can end the disease by 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa remains the hardest hit. JEMIMA BEUKES