Your daily Selection of IRIN Africa PlusNews reports, 4/6/2006

April 6, 2006

U N I T E D N A T I O N S

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CONTENT:

1 - LESOTHO: 'Know your status' drive needs $12.5m and people's cooperation

MASERU, 6 April (PLUSNEWS) - The success of Lesotho's plan to increase access to

HIV/AIDS treatment will depend on a national commitment to being tested for the

virus and a R75 million (US $12.5 million) financial boost.

Motloheloa Phooko, Minister of Health and Social Welfare, said at a press

conference on Wednesday that " the money needed will be used in the two years of

the campaign to mobilise people to know their status - but getting the money

alone will not make the campaign a success unless Basotho [Lesotho people] own

up to the programme and get tested " .

Lesotho's 'Know Your Status' campaign, the first of its kind worldwide, will

offer confidential and voluntary HIV testing and counselling with the aim of

reaching all households by the end of 2007.

The funds will be used to employ counselling and testing personnel, print

educational material and purchase vehicles for the campaign.

With an adult prevalence rate of 23.2 percent in a population of 1.8 million, it

is estimated that 265,000 people in Lesotho are living with HIV/AIDS, and 49,400

are already in need of life-prolonging antiretroviral (ARV) treatment.

The number could be higher, as national statistics indicate that only 72,000

people have been tested to date, with less than 10,000 receiving ARVs.

Despite massive HIV/AIDS campaigns, very little behavioural change had been

observed, Phooko said.

The programme, launched by the King on World AIDS day in 2005, will use the same

model employed by immunisation programmes: extensive community mobilisation and

education, followed by door-to-door visits.

Communities will decide how and when their members will be offered HIV/AIDS

testing and counselling, and independent people's committees will be established

at local, district and national level to ensure that testing is always

voluntary, confidentiality is maintained and post-testing services, including

treatment, are provided.

Lesotho has been testing and treating people free of charge at all hospitals,

and plans are underway to make ARV treatment available at all community clinics.

Jim Yong Kim, Director of the World Health Organisation, praised the Know Your

Status campaign last year, saying, " Lesotho's initiative is an excellent example

of this global trend towards expanding and integrating prevention and treatment

efforts. Many nations like Lesotho are now empowered to develop exciting, bold

programmes that directly confront the epidemic. "

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April 6, 2006