Africa-Press – Botswana. Preliminary findings of the 2021 Botswana AIDS Impact Survey indicate that the annual incidence of HIV in the 15-64 age group has declined.
Briefing a Ngami District HIV/AIDS and non-communicable diseases meeting on the national response yesterday, National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency official, Ms Stella Keipeile said it now stood at 0.2 per cent.
She said among adults living with HIV, prevalence of viral load suppression stood at 74.9 and 96.5 per cent for females aged 15-24 and those in the 35-44 age group respectively.
For males, viral load suppression prevalence was 71 per cent for those aged 25-34 and 97.4 per cent for those in the 55-64 age group, she said.
Ms Keipeile noted that viral load suppression was higher among females.
Acknowledging that the country’s HIV programme had achieved remarkable results, she however emphasised the need to work on remaining gaps.
Ms Keipeile said although Botswana had exceeded the UNAIDS’ 2030 targets of 95-95-95, males aged 15-64 had not yet reached the first 95 per cent dealing with knowledge of one’s status.
In addition, she pointed out that viral load suppression among males aged 25-34 and females aged 15-24 was lagging behind.
Giving a situational analysis, Ngami District AIDS coordinator, Mr Kebabonye Thamuku said cases of Sexual Transmitted Infections were increasing in Ngamiland despite strategies to empower the community on such issues.
He said from January to September last year, the district registered 8 292 cases which indicated that people engaged in unprotected sex.
“Considering the registered cases, it is an indication that usage of condoms is low in the community,” he said.
Mr Thamuku attributed the rising cases to high alcohol consumption and the that those who tested positive resisted taking prevention measures.
He said also of serious concern was the high teenage pregnancy statistics with 218 cases registered in the same period.
On the positive side, Mr Thamuku said Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission programme was doing well in the district with uptake standing at 98 per cent.
Unfortunately, two babies tested positive last year compared to one in 2021, he said.
Regarding ARV dispersion, Mr Thamuku said it was done in all the district’s 35 health facilities.
Currently 1 606 clients, 119 children under the age of 12 and 319 non-citizens, had enrolled for treatment, he said.
Noting that Botswana was generally doing well, Mr Thamuku said in addition to exceeding the UNAIDS targets, the country had also surpassed the overall population-level target for 2030 with more than 91 per cent of all adults living with HIV achieving viral load suppression.
“This is a good thing as the initiative is bearing fruit. It was unfortunate that since the COVID-19 pandemic, we experienced challenges in conducting tests as the community could not easily access services due to protocols in place,” he said.
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