The government of Lesotho was unable to meet its 2023 target to reduce the mortality rate of HIV/AIDS infections by 50 per cent.
This was disclosed in a report on Lesotho’s performance towards the 2023 targets set and presented at the National Assembly.
The report was presented by the chairman of the HIV/AIDS parliamentary sessional committee, Liteboho Kompi.
It was forecasted that, between 2018 and 2023, the country would have reduced its new infections (13,300) by 50 per cent, according to the National HIV/AIDS Strategic Plan (NHASP).
Lesotho also failed to reduce mother-to-child transmission from 11.3 per cent to five per cent at the end of the year but only achieved a 6.4 per cent drop.
Kompi stressed that the lapse meant the country was not doing much in sensitising the public about the mode of infection and prevention.
“This is very dangerous for the country because Basotho continue to die in massive numbers due to HIV and other diseases associated with HIV/AIDS,” the chairman said.
She pointed out that a huge problem for the goal was the inability of adolescents and young women to negotiate safe sex with their relationship partners, who were mostly older men.