Mozambique
The first case of AIDS in Mozambique was recorded in 1986. The following year, the first survey was carried in various urban centres, which recorded an average prevalence between 1.2% and 2%.
The civil war that engulfed Mozambique from 1975 to 1994 considerably hampered the national response to HIV as most resources were diverted toward financing the war. During this time limited surveillance of the epidemic made it difficult to measure its impact. Since 1992 returning refugees from neighboring countries fueled the rapid spread of the epidemic in Mozambique. HIV has also grown steadily but undetected within the country ever since the discovery of the first AIDS case. At the end of 2007 there were 1.5 million people living with HIV including 100,000 children. The estimated adult prevalence is 12.5%.
There is great disparity between HIV prevalence in the northern (9%) and southern regions (21%). Moreover, while HIV has been leveling off in centre and the northern regions it has been rising in the southern regions.
In Mozambique as in most countries in Eastern and Southern Africa young women aged 15-24 are disproportionately more affected by HIV than men in the same age group. UNAIDS/WHO estimates for 2007 show that HIV prevalence among young women at 8.5% compared to 2.9% among young men.
At the end of 2007, there were 90,000 people on antiretroviral treatment, which equals 24% coverage. It is important to note that the number of sites providing antiretroviral treatment across the country has increased from 32 in 2005 to 211 in 2007.
Key elements of the national response
The national response to the HIV epidemic in Mozambique started in 1988 with the establishment of a prevention and control programme in the Ministry of Health. In 2000, the Government approved a National Strategy (PEN) and established the National Council to Combat AIDS (CNCS).
The first National Strategic Plan for the period 2000-2002 sought to slow the spread of HIV and mitigate the effects of the epidemic through a multi-sectoral approach focused mainly on prevention activities. Treatment and provision of antiretrovirals were not envisaged because of the high cost at that time and the complexity of implementation. The second generation National Strategic Plan (PEN II) for the period 2005-2009 provides the current framework for the implementation of the national response. In addition to accelerating prevention, the PEN II integrates care and treatment of people living with HIV with a human rights-based approach. Since 2005 HIV has been mainstreamed into many national policy framework documents as well as the current Action Plan for the Reduction of Absolute Poverty 2006-2009 (PARPA II) which shows the government’s commitment to adopt a comprehensive approach to the HIV response.
2006 was marked by renewed political commitment to address HIV and the drivers of the epidemic in Mozambique.
Key Achievements
- The Presidential Initiative on HIV and AIDS led by President Guebuza in 2006 brought together community leaders from all levels, senior central government, provincial and district government, representatives from civil society, faith-based and youth organizations to discuss and renew their commitments to the national AIDS effort
- HIV prevention education was integrated in the basic education curriculum
- Increased availability of male condoms
- Integration of prevention of mother-to-child transmission in all other health services
- Approval of the National Communication Strategy and its operationalization at national and provincial level
- Ministry of Health has planned for a national HIV serobehavioural survey in 2009 which will call for the participation of all stakeholders
Key Challenges
- There is no HIV surveillance data or population size estimates for key populatios at higher risk which limits the possibility of assessing the scope of the problem and determine appropriate interventions
- Human resource constraints across the various sectors continue to be a major challenge to scaling-up services
- Providing timely and quality data continues to be a barrier to improved planning and budgeting
- Integration of HIV services with other essential services, especially tuberculosis and reproductive health remain a challenge an additional services such as home-based care continue to be very weak
- Education programmes on antiretroviral treatment to ensure adherence are still weak;
- Civil society has limited capacity, is fragmented and its involvement in national coordinating mechanisms is limited
- Lack of evidence about the drivers of the epidemic
- Limited evidence about the success of HIV prevention programmes and about 'what works'
Useful Links
- Conselho Nacional de Combato ao HIV/SIDA (CNCS) www.cncs.org.mz
- National Strategic Plan
- National AIDS Spending Assessment
- PMTCT and Paediatric Care and Treatment Fact Sheet
Contacts
UNAIDS Country Office
PO Box 4595
Maputo
Mozambique
Tel: +258 21484510
Fax: +258 21492345
Conselho Nacional de Combate Ao HIV/SIDA (CNCS)
Eliseu Joaquim Machava (Gov.)
Teles Gemuce (Coord.)
Rua Antonio Bocarro, 106/114
Maputo
Mozambique
Tel: +258 272 20175
Email: npchiv.pmb@teledata.moz
Email: telesgemuce@yahoo.com.br
Mozambican Network of AIDS Service Organizations (MONASO)
Alice Ripanga
Executive Secretary
Avenida Ahmed Sekou Toure
425
Maputo
Mozambique
Tel: +258 21 425260
Fax: +258 21 425260
Email: monaso@tvcabo.co.mz
National Network of Associations Of People Living With HIV/AIDS (RENSIDA)
Julio Ramos Mujojo
Executive Secretary
Avenida Vladmir Lenin
1424
Maputo,
Mozambique
Tel: +254 20 2736415
Email: rensida@tvcabo.co.mz
Website: www.rensida.org
Global Report 2008 Data
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