Namibia
Namibia continues to be one of the countries with the highest HIV prevalence in the world, with 16 percent of the adult population living with HIV. Little is known about the HIV burden among key populations in this setting. While there are no official size estimates, small-scale studies have estimated HIV prevalence to be approximately 12 percent for men who have sex with men (MSM) and 31 percent for MSM over 30 years old. The estimated HIV prevalence among female sex workers (FSW) is greater than 70 percent.[1]
Namibia’s National Strategic Framework for HIV and AIDS Response in 2010/11–2015/16 (2010) emphasizes the importance of targeting programs to key populations due to their high-risk status with the aim of achieving global 90-90-90 targets.[2] To that end, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has supported the government of the Republic of Namibia in developing a national program to create an enabling environment that will improve HIV treatment uptake and retention among key populations. Its broad goal is to improve clinical outcomes among these groups. The program employs a proactive case management approach. USAID/Namibia also supports local projects to provide services to orphans and vulnerable children (OVC).
MEASURE Evaluation assisted the government and other health stakeholders in Namibia to address health information challenges and gaps through the following activities:
- Applying rigorous data triangulation methods, including secondary data analysis, to help fill the knowledge gap on the effectiveness of the case management approach for HIV service provision for key populations in Namibia
- Collection of the PEPFAR MER Essential Survey Indicators for a local OVC project
Related Content
Male Case-Finding Assessment in Namibia: Final Report
Namibia: Snapshot of the Strength of the Health Information System as a Source of HIV Data
Measuring Venue-Based Risk: A Programmatic Mapping Study of Key Populations in Khomas Region, Namibia
MER OVC Essential Survey Indicators – Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
[1] Greenall, M. (2011). Sex Work and HIV in Namibia: Review of the literature and current programmes. UNFPA and UNAIDS.
[2] By 2020, 90% of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status. By 2020, 90% of all people with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. By 2020, 90% of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy will have viral suppression. See http://www.unaids.org/en/resources/documents/2017/90-90-90
