Africa-Press – Botswana. With a population of 86 000 people in Boteti, HIV prevalence in the area currently stands at 18.6 per cent, according to Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS V).
Speaking during commemoration of World AIDS day for Boteti District on Thursday, former school head at Nicodemus Primary School in Toromoja, Ms Neo Serapo said the prevalence percentage of 18.6 per cent meant that over 16 000 people in the district were HIV positive.
“This is very sad especially when we consider that our main priority for the past 15 years has been prevention of new HIV infections which has a lot to do with people knowing their HIV status and practicing safer sex,” she said.
Ms Serapo said Botswana had since made remarkable progress in achieving epidemic control in the fight against HIV and AIDS, adding that 2024 marked 39 years since first HIV case was recorded in Botswana.
Preliminary results of the latest fifth Botswana Aids Impact Survey (BAIS V) conducted in July 2021 showed that out of the HIV positive clients aged between 15 and 64 years, 95 per cent were aware of their status having enrolled on treatment, of those on treatment, 98 per cent have achieved viral suppression.
The commemoration, she said was therefore, an opportunity to introspect and reaffirm determination to work together to overcome the global epidemic through effective strategies.
She stated that over two decades Botswana set a pace in delivering HIV prevention and treatment programmes to mitigate the impact of the virus.
She said Batswana continued to enjoy their right to health, benefitting freely through the national Anti-retroviral therapy, Prevention from Mother To Child Transmission, Community Home Based Care, Safe Male Circumcision and PrEP.
“Our government is a true driver of today’s theme: Take the Rights Path, she emphasised. Ms Serapo said in 2016, Botswana launched the treat all; commitment and adherence to good governance as well as respect for human rights.
She said it now remained an individual responsibility to get tested for HIV and enrol on treatment to complement government’s effort.
“Knowing one’s status and accepting to positively live with HIV are key to accessing treatment and other HIV related services,” she said.
To show that Botswana shared the global commitment to end AIDS by 2030, she urged all to embark on behaviour change strategies such as reducing the number of sexual partners, condom use, delayed age of first sexual encounter, safe male circumcision and early testing for HIV.
Ms Serapo implored all to drive 2024 AIDS day theme and stand against stigma and discrimination. She further said connection between gender-based violence and HIV was clear, therefore, a collaborative effort to address the said issues was imperative.
District Aids Coordinator Mr Chris Moseki said Boteti District was not doing well on Sexually Transmitted Infections, citing failure to turn up by contact partners leading to repeated cases by same clients.
He said high numbers of teenage pregnancies was also a concern. He said there was an average of 75 cases per quarter reported at DMSAC meetings, and perpetrators were reported to be elderly men.
He said the district was doing well on ARV treatment, though non-adherence to ARV treatment was still in existence.
He also talked about self-stigma, which he said was also evident among clients as well as non-disclosure to partners and or relatives which also made it difficult to track clients back to care for retention.
Source: dailynews
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