01 Sep 2014

MP for Palapye, Mr Moiseraele Goya has said government had put concerted efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS scourge and had allocated about P1 billion for ARV drugs.

Mr Goya was speaking at the Department of Buildings and Engineering Services (DBES) wellness day held in Palapye recently.

The area MP also implored Batswana to join hands with the government to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic and ensure that the country attained zero infections and zero stigma and discrimination by 2016.

He also said the country needed a healthy and responsible workforce for it to develop.

Meanwhile, DBES has, at the wellness day, launched its Men Sector to discuss sexual and reproduction health issues amongst male employees as well as promote wellness and safety in the workplace.

The District Aids Coordinator for Palapye, Mr Calistus Jackalas said wellness was important in bringing about efficiency in an organisation as a healthy workforce was a productive one.

Mr Jackalas also said Palapye Administration Authority (PAA) was faced with many challenges particularly HIV/AIDS and other Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs). He said 2172 cases of STIs were registered this quarter with females as the most affected group, and that, he added indicated that people were not using condoms consistently.

Again, he said the authority also registered 65 Tuberculosis cases and five of Multi-Drug Resistant TB in the same quarter.

That, he said was a cause for concern because a high number of patients who suffered from TB were also HIV positive.

He stated that the number of new infections were on the increase, with over 11 000 people on Anti-Retro-viral Drugs. Thus, Mr Jackalas encouraged DBES employees to take responsibility of their lives and ensure that the country achieved zero new infections by 2016.

He also encouraged them to undergo Safe Male Circumcision (SMC) to reduce chances of getting infected with HIV.

Further, he encouraged men to enrol in the SMC programme because the numbers of those who had already signed on were not impressive.

Palapye Hospital sexual and reproductive health officer, Mr Cheneso Phiri implored employees to change their behaviour and break the chain of multiple and concurrent partners.

He said DBES employees were at high risk of spreading or getting infected with HIV/AIDS because of their frequented trips.

Behaviour change and correct condom use, he said were the best methods to combat HIV/AIDS.

He also warned them against alcohol abuse, which he said contributed to high HIV infections. Ends