Oshana celebrates World AIDS Day

Maria David

COMMUNITIES from the Oshana Region gathered in the Okatjali constituency to mark the commemoration of World AIDS Day.

World AIDS Day is celebrated annually around the world on 1 December to raise awareness, pay tribute to those who have died, and celebrate victories such as increased access to treatment and prevention services.

According to World Health Organization (WHO) 2020 statistics, an estimated 37.7 million people are living with HIV, 680 000 died from HIV-related causes, and 1.5 million were newly infected in that year.

Last year, 73% of people living with HIV received lifelong antiretroviral therapy (ART).

Oshana regional governor Elia Irimari said the commemoration of the day is important for every community to unite in the fight against HIV, to show support for people living with HIV, those affected by HIV and those who passed on.

Irimari noted that the global theme for this year, End inequalities, End AIDS, End epidemics, highlights the urgent need to end inequalities that drives AIDS and other pandemics around the world.

“Tackling inequalities is a long outstanding global promise. The urgency of its delivery has only increased,” he said.

Irimari noted there might be people living with HIV in Oshana that had interruptions in their HIV treatment during and after COVID-19-related lockdowns.

He said early modelling of the impact of Covid-19 predicts that people living with HIV and many other patients on chronic medication could struggle to access their treatment due to travel restrictions and overwhelmed healthcare systems.

Irimari called on the Oshana community to unite, as they march towards ending HIV in the region. This, he said, can only be achieved if 95% of people living with HIV know their status, are put on antiretroviral treatment and achieve viral load suppression.