The Minister of Health, Mr. Selibe Mochoboroane, had officially received health equipment, medication and food parcels from AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) aimed at strengthening HIV care services in Lesotho.
Speaking at the event, Mr. Mochoboroane expressed appreciation for the support and noted that the donation will assist health facilities with both medical and administrative needs.
He added that some of the medication received is not produced locally by the National Drug Service Organisation (NDSO), making the contribution particularly important.
The Minister said the Ministry continues to face challenges where some HIV patients take medication without adequate nutrition due to poverty, which reduces the effectiveness of treatment.
“The medication works better when patients are properly nourished,” he said, adding that food support plays an important role in improving treatment outcomes.
The Minister further referred to findings from a poverty survey conducted by the Ministry’s statistics department in 2018 and 2019, which indicated that communities along the Senqu Valley experience high levels of poverty, with correspondingly high reports of HIV and tuberculosis cases.
Meanwhile, AHF Country Programme Manager Ms. Nthoesele Shoeshoe Letoao said the equipment, valued at M750, 000, includes medical supplies, office equipment and food packages aimed at strengthening healthcare delivery and supporting the nutritional needs of patients.
She said the initiative is intended to improve holistic care for people living with HIV by ensuring both treatment access and nutritional support across AHF-supported sites in the country.
Source: Lesotho News Agency [LENA]
