Despite the many resources available to help HIV/AIDS patients, only 31% of Namibians have access to ARVs as of 2015. In some areas, it’s even worse: 24% of Namibians have no idea where they can get ARV medicine at all, and just 12% of Namibians can get treatment from their local pharmacies or medical providers. What’s the cause of this problem? How should the Namibian government and international community respond? The good news is that there are plenty of steps we can take to improve ARV access in Namibia now and in the future.

The history of ARV provision in Namibia

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), HIV first arrived in Namibia during the late 1980s. This was during the time of apartheid when there was a great deal of movement across national borders. Prior to the 1990s, most people with AIDS were dying while they were still very young. ARVs became available in 1996 but remained inaccessible for many people because of their high cost. Today, ARVs are provided free of charge to pregnant women and children under five years old.

The current state of ARV provision in Namibia

The HIV prevalence rate in Namibia is one of the highest on the continent at 18.4%, with over 500,000 people living with HIV. The ARVs are free of charge for those who can prove that they can’t afford them.