Community HIV testing in OhangwenaUnder an American-funded outreach programme health extension officers are to provide HIV testing and counselling services to people in remote rural areas. Taking testing and counselling to remote areas 0 A pilot project on the provision of HIV testing and counselling by health extension workers has been launched in the Ohangwena Region.The project, supported by the United States government, started on 25 July in the Engela District and by end of August 561 HIV tests had been conducted, of which only ten were positive.
About 60 health extension workers from nine health facilities were trained in the Engela District.
Speaking at the launch of the pilot project on Friday, deputy minister of health and social services Juliet Kavetuna said the project is aimed at providing HIV testing to people living in isolated communities with no easy access to health facilities.
“The launch of this community-based HIV testing and counselling programme is part of our Harambee strategy to identify, train and deploy community health workers to address critical health needs at the community and household levels,” Kavetuna said.
Kavetuna said the ministry remained committed and determined to make sure the HIV epidemic is successfully addressed.
“We are confident that we can have the same success with controlling the HIV epidemic as we have had in attaining the millennium development goals related to access to education and health,” she said.
Technical assistance and support is provided by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Kavetuna thanked the two organisations for the support they have given the Namibian government in providing health services to vulnerable populations in Namibia.
“We hope to continue working together to achieve national reductions in women, infant and child morbidity and mortality here in Namibia and foster a sustainable response for the HIV burden in the country,” she said.
Kavetuna said Oshikoto will be next to introduce the community-based HIV testing and counselling services.
USAID health deputy director Cherry Gumapas said the United States government is a steadfast partner in the Namibian government’s efforts towards ensuring equitable access to healthcare and ending the HIV epidemic.
Gumapas said the implementation of the extension workers programme is aimed at improving the health of Namibians.
Gumapas said as of June this year, 1 660 health extension workers had been trained and 1 366 had been deployed to 25 health districts in 11 regions.
KENYA KAMBOWE