| There are many helpful sources of information about | | | | testing and counselling services and supplying free |
| HIV/AIDS in Swaziland. This article is one such but is | | | | nevirapine. There is still a lot to be done about |
| not necessary a conclusive one. Take some time to | | | | behaviour change. |
| read these 5 highlights as pointed out below. | | | | 4. AIDS statistics in the country- the numbers of |
| 1. Prevalence rate- Swaziland's HIV prevalence rate is | | | | people living with AIDS in this small kingdom is on the |
| second highest in the. Swaziland's prevalence rate | | | | rise. In 2007 15,000 Swazi children aged up to 14 |
| stood at 38.6 percent at the end of 2007, (UNAIDS, | | | | years of age were living with HIV, ( UNAIDS 2008 |
| report). New HIV infections are still recorded in health | | | | Report on the global AIDS epidemic) By 2008 the |
| institutions around the country. | | | | government aims to reduce the proportion of children |
| 2. Treatment- treatment in form of antiretroviral | | | | under 4 years old who are HIV positive by 30%, |
| drugs (ARVs) is available in both public and private | | | | which is possible through PMTCT. The age group |
| health institutions through out the country. The drugs | | | | between 15-49 years seems to be the most |
| are available for children and adults because there are | | | | affected and AIDS deaths are more within this age |
| children are in need of the drugs. Any one can access | | | | group. |
| the drugs by prescription from authorised health | | | | 5. Impact- the impact of AIDS in Swaziland is vast in |
| workers and they are free nation wide. By December | | | | all parts of the country. It has affected all sector of |
| 2007, Swaziland had increased treatment provision to | | | | life but children are severly hit by pandemic. The |
| 25,000 people (WHO (2008) 'Towards Universal | | | | number of orphaned and vulnerable children due to |
| Access: Scaling up priority HIV/AIDS interventions in | | | | AIDS is projected to reach 120, 000 by 2010, is |
| the health sector'). | | | | currently at more than 70, 000 these children have |
| 3. Prevention-The Swazi government has introduced | | | | lost one or both parents. Most of the time the other |
| a number of initiatives for HIV prevention such as | | | | is bed ridden and the children drop out of school to |
| condom distribution, behaviour change campaigns, | | | | take care of their sick parents. The majority of |
| prevention of mother to child transmission, and early | | | | deaths occur among young people aged 15-49, the |
| diagnosis by testing. Both female and male condoms | | | | nation's most productive population segment. |
| are available country wide in strategic places which is | | | | Particularly high infection rates of up to 47.3 percent |
| an initiative by the government and other agencies. | | | | are found among women 15-24 years of age, and up |
| Billbords and adverts carry behaviour change | | | | to 18.3 percent among men in the same age group. |
| message, a recent and on-going campaign being that | | | | Life expectancy at birth in the mid-1990s was 51 |
| of secret lovers 'makhwapheni' by NERCHA. Mother | | | | years, but it has dropped rapidly to 39.4 as a direct |
| to child prevention (PMTCT) programmes include | | | | result of AIDS. |
| training healthcare workers, scaling up voluntary | | | | |