According to the recently released 2006-2007 Namibia Demographic and Health Survey, the percentage of Namibian women being tested and/or receiving treatment for HIV has increased dramatically over the past six years.

Findings from the survey show that the overall percentage of women receiving testing has more than doubled (from 24% to 50%) since the survey was last conducted in 2000. Findings also indicate that a full two-thirds of women who gave birth in the last two years were tested and received their HIV results during antenatal care visits.

The Capacity Project’s continuing efforts in prevention of mother-to-child transmission have contributed to this increase—to date, approximately 132,000 women have been pretest-counseled and have received their results in Project-supported facilities. This figure represents more than 60% of the total tested population. In addition, approximately 20% (more than 10,900 women and 3,000 children) of all patients receiving Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) in Namibia have done so in Project-supported facilities.

November 2008