17 Aug 2014

Former president, Dr Festus Mogae has hailed ACHAP for its support on anti-retroviral treatment and care programmes.

He was speaking at the first ever ACHAP awards on August 15. The awards recognised ACHAP partners for their outstanding contributions to the health sector in Botswana as well as individuals at national, regional and district level who made it possible for the organisation to succeed in carrying out its mandate.

He noted that HIV/AIDS still existed and also remained a global threat hence should be a global responsibility. Dr Mogae also urged all to continue to work together in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Again, he told attendants, who included different stakeholders, that from 1998 to 2008 while he was still president, he had made AIDS response one of the top priorities thus Botswana became the first African country to embark on a roll out programme of free anti-retroviral drugs to all Batswana living with HIV. 

In 2007, he said, the country was able to deliver HIV treatment to more than 90 per cent of those who needed them. He added that it was only after a few months after declaring war against HIV/AIDS that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and Merck agreed to collaborate to launch the plan to identify an African country that would give the project a good chance to succeed.

“Botswana was naturally a choice. Not only did it have a very heavy HIV burden; I made it happen by my straight-talk on HIV and personally committed to confronting the crisis by inviting outside support,” he said.

He however noted that a key catalyst for progress in Botswana’s AIDS response was then established in 2000 through ACHAP, to improve access to needed HIV services, partnership between the government, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and pharmaceutical company Merck and Co., Inc. and the Merck Company Foundation. 

Dr Mogae, who was later awarded Lifetime Achievement Award, said the ACHAP success story reflected not only achievements in fighting the HIV/AIDS pandemic but also innovative research. 

He asserted that ACHAP contributions constituted one of some unexpected journeys from basic research driven by desperation to benefit mankind.

Since ACHAP has been focusing its attention exclusively in Botswana since its inception, Dr Mogae said he was also happy that ACHAP was now transitioning into an independent entity with a broader health mandate, wider geographical focus, with its headquarters in Botswana. 

“It will continue to build on and leverage on its core competences in the field of HIV/AIDS and related conditions, congratulations ACHAP. I am very proud to be associated with you, as a founder member,” he said.

Meanwhile, ACHAP chief executive officer, Dr Jerome Mafeni said ACHAP expansion to other SADC countries and the rest of Africa was a significant development though it would leave some workers jobless because of the impending scaling down this month end and in September. 

Dr Mafeni also said provision of Safe Male Circumcision (SMC) will cease to be offered by the end of this month (August). 

ACHAP mandate, as the entity enters Phase 3, is to among others focus on resource mobilisation and technical assistance designed by Africans. 

Further, Dr Mafeni said he was happy that ACHAP, which was born out of circumstances, has produced quality work since 2000 in partnership with other interested parties in the fight against the scourge. He however noted that there was a need to focus on closing the gap that made it easy for new infections. Ends