Source: The Namibian

Author: Staff Reporter

Of this amount, N$21 million will be used to buy eight water tanker trucks and promote community and school sanitation, while the the rest will be for drought relief.

The relief will be extended to malnourished people living with HIV, pregnant and breatsfeeding mothers, orphans, and vulnerable children in food insecure areas.

Furthermore, UNAIDS in collaboration with the health ministry, will support the training of health extension workers to identify and refer HIV-positive individuals and vulnerable children who are malnourished. 

Referred clients will receive a medical assessment and, if needed, therapeutic nutritional feeding supplements, as well as counselling on improved nutrition and hygiene.

UNAIDS will also support the gender ministry to expedite the registration of orphans and vulnerable children for social grants to mitigate the effect of drought on vulnerable children. 

The Office of the Prime Minister in conjunction with UNAIDS will ensure coordination, technical support, and sustainability of the response.

“USAID anticipates providing nutrition screening and counselling to over 42 000 people living with HIV and made food supplements available to up to 14 000 vulnerable children. 

“These drought assistance interventions support the existing Pepfar (the President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief) and Namibian government programme to meet the UNAIDS targets to combat HIV in the country,” a press statement issued by the organisation on Friday read.

Since 2005, the US government, through Pepfar, has invested over N$15 billion in the Namibian health sector. 

In 2015, an additional N$465 million was dedicated to accelerate treatment for all in support of the health ministry's fight.