Maseru, Lesotho
The tiny republic of Lesotho said this week it will offer a free HIV test to every one of its nearly 2 million citizens. “The main aim of the campaign is that all people above the age of 12 years living in Lesotho will know their HIV status by the end of 2007,” said the World Health Organization in a statement. Lesotho has one of the world’s highest rates of AIDS, with nearly one-third of adults infected. Yet many people refuse to get tested, fearing the stigma of a positive result. To overcome that reluctance, testers will go door-to-door and administer the tests privately in people’s homes. Lesotho’s king, Letsie III, has volunteered to go first.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
