08 Dec 2014

Botswana is under threat as the country continues to lose energetic people who should be the building blocks of the nation, Itekanele Health scheme managing director, Mr Solly Reikeletseng has said.

Speaking at the World AIDS day hosted by the Gaborone District on December 5, Mr Reikeletseng said HIV/AIDS was great challenge because it affected young people who were economically and sexually active. He said Botswana had done well in the education of its people on awareness HIV/AIDS campaigns.

“We now witness the fruits of the labour of more than 30 years commitment to the fight of HIV/AIDS,” he said.

He added that the country had also done well in the provision of condoms, free testing and counselling and the biggest score being one of the first countries in the world to provide free Anti-Retroviral to every Motswana who tested positive.

On the other hand, Mr Reikeletseng was concerned about people who claimed that they could cure HIV. He said in believing these individual, people abandon medications and risked their life.

Thus, he urged government to make it a punishable crime for such individuals. Also, he said there was need to launch war on people who old ARVs in the black market. Furthermore, he said the society needed to target young boys so that they did not grow up into the societal expectations.

He also talked about the issue of homosexuality among the community arguing that gays and lesbians were part of the society and for any intervention to work, it must be inclusive. “As we fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, we must not lose focus of other life threatening illness,” he said.

Kgosi Arnold Somolokae also acknowledged that HIV/AIDS had befallen the nation saying “we are concerned and like others who came before us, we have united to fight this deadly disease.” Men’s sector chairman, Mr Tlhakulagae Lenkokame told the gathering about their involvement in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Mr Lenkokame said theirs was to lead in the fight against HIV/AIDS as well as sensitise the community about HIV/AIDS related programmes and also empower the community.

He said the day’s commemoration also sought to remember the lost souls as a result of the disease. Giving a testimony during the event was 52-year-old Ms Boitumelo Ntwayamodimo who had been living with HIV/AIDS for the last 12 years.

Her story was that she was not ashamed of taking ARVs because they have kept her strong. Thus, she advised people not to take alcohol while on anti-retroviral therapy because it was dangerous.

She also encouraged people to use ARVs and not abandon them at any point. Meanwhile, the gathering was also entertained by local drummer Ditiro, Tsibogang Group, Tsholofelo Group, Murray and Roberts’s choir and Zola.

Murray & Roberts and Spar BBS sponsored the day’s activities. Different organisations and government departments also exhibited their services. ENDS