Lesotho
With nearly a quarter of Lesotho’s adult population
estimated to be HIV positive, AIDS constitutes
an alarming threat. First reported in Lesotho in 1986,
HIV spread rapidly after 1993, when adult prevalence
was about 4 percent. According to UNAIDS, HIV
prevalence among women in the 25- to 29-year age
group attending antenatal clinics was 38 percent in
2005. Recent surveillance data suggest a decline in
infection levels among young pregnant women 15 to
24 years old; however, this may be due to additional
surveillance sites in the most recent survey. In
Lesotho, HIV prevalence is higher in urban areas than
in rural areas. The overall coverage of HIV-related
services is low. By the end of 2006, only 31 percent
of the HIV-infected population was receiving
antiretroviral therapy.
USAID’s programs focus primarily on prevention, including prevention of mother-to-child AIDS transmission, male circumcision, and behavior change communication;
capacity building for community-based programming; the human capacity crisis; and supply chain management systems. USAID
is assisting the Government of Lesotho to address the human capacity crisis by supporting the improvement of the quality,
accessibility, and use of priority health care services. Support for human capacity programs is provided by a coalition of
international and regional organizations led by IntraHealth and including the Foundation for Professional Development,
Management Sciences for Health, the Training Resources Group, Cohsasa, and the East, Central, and Southern Africa Health
Community.
View the USAID
HIV/AIDS Health Profile for Lesotho - September 2008 [PDF,
102KB]
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