Ambassador Maria Brewer presented the final report of the 2020 Lesotho Population-Based HIV Impact Assessment (LePHIA 2020) alongside Honorable Minister Semano Sekatle. The assessment, supported by Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso as its patron, plays a crucial role in evaluating the current state of the HIV epidemic in Lesotho.
Ambassador Brewer expressed gratitude to Minister Sekatle and acknowledged the support from the Ministry of Health in conducting this impact assessment amid the global COVID-19 pandemic. She praised the efforts of various organizations, including CDC, PEPFAR Lesotho, ICAP at Columbia University, Lesotho’s National Reference Laboratory, district government authorities, and local health facilities for their contributions to generating important data and analysis.
"I also would like to offer my appreciation for every Lesotho citizen who participated in the survey," said Ambassador Brewer. "Your participation in the survey made it possible for the country to assess its tremendous strides in controlling the HIV epidemic."
The preliminary data released last year showed that Lesotho had exceeded the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets for 2020, achieving 90-97-92. Ambassador Brewer emphasized that this is just the beginning and looked forward to hearing additional success markers from Minister Sekatle.
The United States Government will continue working with communities and partners across Lesotho to deliver quality care and improve outcomes. "Today’s report illustrates that we have made remarkable gains," stated Ambassador Brewer.
She reaffirmed that the United States remains committed as a partner with Lesotho towards achieving epidemic control and reaching UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2025.
In conclusion, Ambassador Brewer thanked Her Majesty Queen ‘Masenate Mohato Seeiso for her work as champion of the LePHIA survey and expressed gratitude for the partnership between Lesotho and the United States.