US embassy donates vehicles to NIP
As part of the effort to expand HIV services in Namibia, the United States embassy has donated three Toyota Hilux double cab vehicles to the Namibia Institute of Pathology (NIP) valued at N$1.7 million.
The embassy in a statement yesterday said the vehicles will also allow the NIP to ensure quality HIV testing at regional laboratories and quality assurance visits verify that testing conducted in all NIP laboratories across the country is of the same, high standard.
The NIP is committed to ensuring that all laboratory testing is accurate, the results are provided in a timely manner, and that clients and stakeholders receive professional customer service. The embassy said the funding for the vehicles was provided by the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfar) through the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Namibia.
“As Namibia moves towards HIV epidemic control, the Namibia Institute of Pathology is strengthening the long-term HIV response by ensuring a consistent, high-level of quality from clinics to laboratories. These vehicles will help the NIP maintain its standard of quality throughout the country,” said US ambassador Lisa Johnson.
In 2021, Pepfar will increase its funding to the Namibia HIV
prevention, care, and treatment programme from US$81 million to US$89 million.
Meanwhile, in October this year, the US embassy donated two Toyota Hilux and two Toyota Land Cruisers to nongovernmental organisation (NGO) partner Development Aid from People to People (DAPP Namibia).
DAPP Namibia, a local NGO that partners with the US embassy’s Pepfar programme and the health ministry to fight HIV, is expanding its work into six additional regions, namely Kunene, Erongo, Hardap, //Kharas, Omaheke and Otjozondjupa.
The four new vehicles will enable DAPP’s healthcare providers to expand comprehensive communitybased HIV and TB services to those new regions.
Briefing the media late last month, US embassy Pepfar coordinator Carey Spear explained that locating the last undiscovered HIV hotspots of transmission is one of the remaining steps for Namibia to reach HIV epidemic control.
On her part, Johnson pledged continued support to Namibia to reach HIV epidemic control. According to her, 95% of people with HIV know their status, 95% of people with HIV who know their status are on treatment while 92% of the people on treatment take their medications regularly and are virally suppressed.
“Those are high numbers, but we can’t stop now. We are working together to get them even higher so that we can proudly say Namibia has achieved HIV epidemic control,” she said.