30 Nov 2014

National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) in collaboration with the Ministry of Health have launched the eight hours HIV Testing and Counselling Campaign in Maun.

The duo launched the campaign in an attempt to beat the Guinness World Record of “Most HIV Tests Given in One City in Multiple Venues in 8 hours in One Day.”

The institutions had set a target of reaching 6000 people with HIV testing and counseling services. The campaign aimed to mobilise individuals and families to know their HIV status and seek prevention and treatment services.

Speaking during the launch, UNAIDS Country director, Dr Gang Sun said the reason for launching the event in Maun was that a third of the adults population in Botswana did not have HIV testing in the past one year, adding that Maun figures appeared higher.

He said about 70 per-cent of adults did not do the testing and that leaves a big gap to fill if “we want all to have timely access to the treatment programme.”

Dr Sun said Botswana has been recognised as a beacon for AIDS response for long, citing the MTCT programme.

On other issues, he said that the tourism destination, Maun and the larger Ngamiland had been on top of the world, including the recent announcement of Okavango being the UNESCO World Heritage.

He thanked NACA, Ministry of Health and Maun authority for their vision and commitment in leading the way to reach an HIV free generation sooner than later.

For his part, Kgosi Oleyo Ledimo said the event came at the right time because of the low numbers of people who tested for HIV in Maun.

He said HIV/AIDS remains one of the greatest health and social challenge in Botswana. HIV prevalence is currently estimated at 18.5 per cent noting that prevalence is higher among highly sexually active persons aged 35-39.

Kgosi Ledimo said Batswana aged 10-64 years who have tested for HIV atleast once has increased from 56 per cent in 2008 to 70.2 per cent in 2013 and that the remaining 30 per cent of the population has to be tested.

Batswana are committed to breaking the Guinness World Record which is currently held by Argentina’s city of Rosario where 3 733 people were tested in one day over eight hours, he added.

He noted that some benefits of testing included taking necessary steps before symptoms appear and accessing treatment, care and support services. Kgosi Ledimo said HIV negative should avoid risky behaviours so that they could stay negative for life. ENDS