NAMIBIA / AIDS

A new report by UNICEF and WHO says that more than four million people in low and middle-income countries were receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) at the close of 2008. This represents a 36 percent increase in one year and a ten-fold increase over five years. UNICEF

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:38
• Production Date: 30 September 2009
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND - UNICEF
• Subject Topical: HEALTH SERVICES; DISEASE PREVENTION; DISEASE CONTROL
• Geographic Subject: NAMIBIA
• MAMS Id: U090930e

Description

STORY: NAMIBIA / AIDS
TRT: 2.38
SOURCE: UNICEF
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 15-19 SEPTEMBER 2009, OHANGWENA DISTRICT, NAMIBIA

Shotlist

1. Tilt down, from flags to Alfeus and his aunt arriving at health clinic
2. Various shots, mothers and children at clinic
3. Med shot, doctor treating patient
4. Various shots, Alfeus and aunt processing paperwork
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Frida Nangolo, Alfeus's aunt:
“We used to drop him to the hospital but the sickness does not improve, he is still being sick and sick. So then we realize, or we think that it is HIV and it is talked in the community council, and then we take Alfeus to the clinic so that we can council it on behalf of him.”
6. Med shot, Alfeus getting his blood tested
7. Various shots, health workers processing ARV medicine
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Frida Nangolo, Alfeus's aunt:
“He is still doing his job, his daily responsibility. He can fetch water, he can fetch food, he can looking after cattle, then he will do everything. So I see or I think, my thought is this HIV it will be disappeared or it will be forced to be at small places where he will be looked healthy and their looking like he is no more infected even though HIV is still there.”
9. Med shot, mother with child in her arms
10. Med shot, boy holding his mothers hand
11. Various shots, health staff with medicines
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Ian MacLeod, UNICEF Representative, Namibia:
“Fifty percent of HIV positive children will die before their first year of life and perhaps up to 80 percent before the second year of life. So we need to diagnose very early and get them on to treatment… unfortunately otherwise a significant proportion will die.”
13. Various shots, Alfeus and his family eating a meal

Storyline

Alfeus, a shy eight year old boy sticks close to his aunt Frida, as they visit the recently built Onayena health clinic in northern Namibia. It is the third Wednesday of the month – an especially busy day.
Dr.Nduki and his team from Onanjokwe Hospital are here for the bi-monthly HIV outreach for the district’s 16,000 residents.

Alfeus, who is HIV positive, has skipped school to come to the clinic, Frida knows the importance of these outings for her nephew’s health. Both her sister and brother in law died of AIDS and after his mother died Alfeus, who was two, started to get sick.

SOUNDBITE (English) Frida Nangolo, Alfeus's aunt:
“We used to drop him to the hospital but the sickness does not improve, he is still being sick and sick. So then we realize, or we think that it is HIV and it is talked in the community council, and then we take Alfeus to the clinic so that we can council it on behalf of him.”
At the clinic Alfeus sees the doctor, who checks he is in good health. Every six months he has a blood test that monitors his CD4 count, hemoglobin level, liver and the severity of his viral infection. Frida is given his monthly supply of antiretroviral medicines, known as ARVs.

SOUNDBITE (English) Frida Nangolo, Alfeus's aunt:
“He is still doing his job, his daily responsibility. He can fetch water, he can fetch food, he can looking after cattle, then he will do everything. So I see or I think, my thought is this HIV it will be disappeared or it will be forced to be at small places where he will be looked healthy and their looking like he is no more infected even though HIV is still there.”

Namibia has dramatically increased HIV AIDS treatment thanks to support from the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
In 2006 just a few hundred were able to get ARVs. Last year that figure had risen to 50,000 representing almost 70 per cent of those in need.

The UNICEF-supported program aims to give all pregnant women an HIV test at their first antenatal care visit and start treatment as soon as possible.

SOUNDBITE (English) Ian MacLeod, UNICEF Representative, Namibia:
“Fifty percent of HIV positive children will die before their first year of life and perhaps up to 80 percent before the second year of life. So we need to diagnose very early and get them on to treatment,unfortunately otherwise a significant proportion will die.”

With the continuing work of UNICEF and partners, AIDS in Namibia may not be a death sentence and children like Alfeus can grow up to lead healthy lives.