Our Health Services
“Wherever the art of Medicine is loved, there is also a love of Humanity. ”
― Hippocrates
The CHS HIV/AIDS Program
In 2002, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS in Namibia reached an alarming proportion with 22.5% of pregnant women testing positive at ANC sero surveillance.
With help from small parishes in Germany, CHS initiated a Preventation of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) program in Rehoboth in September 2002. At the CHS Board of Directors meeting of February 2003, greater funding from Deutsche AIDS Stiftung allowed a decision on the provision of Antriretroviral Treatment (ART) as well as Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP) to all CHS staff members.
However, to guarantee substantial public health impact, CHS strengthened its fight against HIV/AIDS in all its 4 Districts Hospitals around the country by setting up wider programs with financial assistance of new partners: Mainly the US Government (as per agreement with the Namibian Government) with PEPFAR fund through USAID under its cooperative agreement with Family Health International (FHI) and MISEREOR (German Catholic Bishop Conference).
Available Services
MISEREOR initiated first the Rehoboth District ART program in September 2003 and continues its support through monitoring of a cohort of patients. With the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) fund, the USAID Namibia, through FHI first and the Capacity Project (INTRAHEALTH), is supporting the 4 Districts Hospitals in providing integrated services in Voluntary Counselling and Testing (VCT) under an agreement with Social Marketing Association (SMA) “New Start” brand, PMTCT and ART since August 2004.
As of the end of 2006, about 21,000 people have been counselled and tested of which about 9,000 were pregnant women. At the CHS sites close to 4,000 PLHIV have been started on ART during the same period. This represents just over 10% of the national figure of ARV users.
Other activities under various funding:
- Community Mobilisation
- Support Groups (Vegetable Garden Projects in Nyangana, Timosa, etc)
- Drama Group
- Alcohol Project
- Replacement Feeding Project