03 Dec 2014

Batswana have been urged to go for voluntary counseling and testing to know their HIV status and lead a positive lifestyle.

The National Aids Coordinating Agency (NACA) official, Mr Caphius Joseph said this when launching the International Campaign on voluntary counselling and testing dubbed VCT@Work in Selebi Phikwe recently.

He said employers have been called on to take issues of HIV/AIDS in the workplace serious and to come up with programmes, policies and interventions to tackle this problem.

Mr Joseph said Botswana is committed to the international and national goals of achieving zero new infections, zero stigma and zero HIV/AIDS related deaths.

In this regard, he said it has become a normal practice in the country that around this time of the year, the country commemorates the World Aids Day.  

The launch, he said was a pre activity of the national programme of World Aids Day 2014.  

He cited Selebi Phikwe as one of the country’s districts with high prevalence rates of 25.5 per cent followed by Francistown at 24.3 per cent. Mr Joseph said work places are key entry points in managing the spread of the HIV/AIDS virus and TB Bacteria. “While HIV/AIDS and TB affect people of all ages, its impact on the working population of age groups 15-49 is huge,” he said.

Mr Joseph said the impact has resulted in reduced productivity, supply of labour and availability of skills which increases labour costs. 

He said NACA established additional response structures like Men’ Sector, Women’s Sector Sport, Human Right Sector and Labour Sector which coordinate the response from Trade Unions and Enterprises.

HIV/AIDS, TB, health and wellness should be recognised as work place issues and be mainstreamed into all the policies, programmes and plans of the business, he added.

He commended BCL Mine for pioneering voluntary counselling and testing in the work place noting that it would go a long way in combating the spread of the disease.

For his part, UNAIDS Country director, Dr Gang Sun said the launch of Voluntary Counselling and Testing at Work event marks a historic climax in ‘Getting to Zero Infections.’

He said Botswana has demonstrated to the world that the right attitude and commitment was what it takes to overcome seemingly impossible challenges.

Dr Sun noted that 87 per cent of those in need of ARV are receiving treatment while 95 per cent of HIV positive pregnant mothers have enrolled for PMTCT.

He thanked the Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs and BCL mine for organising the launch, saying it demonstrated the government and BCL Mine’s commitment to fighting the spread of HIV/AIDS.

For his part, the deputy permanent secretary in Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Victor Rantshabeng described the workers’ health as a pillar to the country’s economy.

He said the government has done its best to fight HIV/ AIDS through programmes and interventions to reduce the spread of HIV.

Mr Rantshabeng also raised a concern that though government was striving to combat HIV/AIDS more people were still getting infected.

He said his ministry together with the International Labour Organisation has setup strategies to beef up the fight against HIV/AIDS and sensitise employees and the employer about HIV/AIDS in the workplace. ENDS