Increasing HIV / AIDS incidence takes toll in many ways. International (Namibia)
AIDS weekly plus 1997: 22-23
1997
PMID: 12292416 Document Number: 267871
Namibia has a population of 1.6 million, of whom an estimated 100,000 are infected with HIV. The incidence of AIDS is increasing in Namibia, as well as the epidemic's impact upon families, society, and the economy. The 1997 Namibian Human Development Report (NHDR) released June 11, 1997, identified AIDS as the number one cause of disease-related death in the country. A connection exists between HIV/AIDS incidence in Namibia and growing poverty. The increasing incidence of the disease has reduced the available labor force, while the cost of caring for affected Namibians is consuming a significant portion of the nation's health budget. Statistics from the NHDR and the 1996 Youth Health Development Report indicate that more than 3000 HIV-positive infants are born in Namibia annually; AIDS was responsible for 4% of infant mortality in the country in 1996; more than 15% of pregnant women in 1996 were HIV positive, almost twice the proportion of those screened in 1994; and 37% of adolescents aged 12-18 years report being sexually active, of whom 28% report not using condoms. The government is taking steps to educate and counsel people about AIDS in the attempt to reduce the level of social stigmatization and to encourage preventive measures.