Team Lesotho - The AIDS Crisis

The AIDS Crisis

"With a full one third of the Lesotho population infected with HIV, some Basotho have started to talk of their own extinction unless urgent and drastic action is taken. While the government of Lesotho demonstrates a strong willingness to tackle the problem... it is clear that systems are not yet fully in place to address the impact of AIDS on their society."- UN Mission report, Jan 03

Key Statistics

Infection rates are around 33% with urban areas over 40%

In 2002 44% of pregnant women attending ante-natal clinic were HIV+

80% of patients admitted to hospital were HIV+

Currently ranked 4th in the world for AIDS infection per head of population and tipped to be the highest in just a few years time

17% of children under fifteen are orphans.

There are reports of villages where all households are child headed and there is no-one left over the age of 18

Social impact

The sickness and death of such a large proportion of the adult population is extremely destructive to many cultural systems and natural community safeguards. For example, the cultural response to death is difficult to maintain when every weekend brings multiple ceremonies and family members spend so much time attending funerals. More and more mothers, suspicious they may be positive and unable to care for an infected child, are abandoning their babies at birth, a previously unheard of problem. Infected children that survive the first few months often live for another 2-5 years needing constant care and medical attention that families simply cannot provide. Overall, Lesotho is becoming a nation of children and this will continue to have dire impact on an already struggling economy.

What can the Church offer?

Unfortunately, the global Church has been slow to respond and frequently missed opportunities for ministry. Some say it has often only increased the cultural stigma surrounding AIDS and further alienated victims. However, many African Christian leaders are now calling for a strong, positive response, recognising that the Church is in a unique position to have maximum impact in the fight against AIDS. The Church in Lesotho, including all denominations, is an enormous, largely untapped resource awaiting mobilisation in the fight against AIDS. Once this sleeping giant is fully awakened, it has the capacity to combat the onslaught of AIDS with widespread Christian influence.

"We acknowledge that we have the belief systems, moral authority and local presence necessary for effectiveness in HIV/AIDS prevention and care" - Statement by Rwandan church leaders 2002.