09 Sep 2015

As part of the National HIV and AIDS Research Agenda, the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) on Tuesday September 8 awarded four critical research areas P2 million to augment research.

Speaking during the final evaluation of research proposals which were submitted to the agency, NACA coordinator, Ms Grace Muzila said the selected research areas would inform evidence based planning in the national response to HIV and AIDS while at the same time promoting local partnerships for research.

She noted that a National HIV and AIDS Research Agenda was drawn in 2011, but that there was no funding for its implementation on account of global and local economic challenges. 

A selection of four under researched topics, she said, was granted a maximum of P500 000 each, adding that the initiative was a response to the National HIV and AIDS, STI and other infectious diseases Research Conference (NHASORC) which in 2011 sought to identify existing research gaps related to HIV/AIDS. 

Furthermore, Ms Muzila said the government realises the significance of research as a basis for making informed decisions hence the need to stimulate research by disbursing funds to facilitate the process.   

During the final selection process which was held at the Gaborone International Conference Center (GICC), six research topic presentations were made which varied from HIV risk factors amongst the mentally challenged, assessment of the past and present HIV interventions amongst the youth, assessment of feeding patterns of HIV positive mothers and reproductive choices for the HIV positive adults.

In an interview, NACA chief research officer, Ms Seeletso Mosweunyane said the exercise would create an enabling research environment in areas that were previously not tapped into.

She said since 2011, an agenda was mapped out but there was no research fund to bring to effect results, and that this year the government intends to compliment efforts of individual researchers and institutions who have been sourcing funds from elsewhere.

Presenting his team’s research proposal on HIV risk factors among the mentally challenged in Botswana, Mr Oaitse Bolotsang of Bamalete Lutheran School of Nursing in Ramotswa said there was need to include the mentally challenged in the fight against HIV, adding that there was not enough research on the area.

Also presenting a team research proposal on HIV risk factors among the mentally challenged was Mr Mompati Majuta who wanted to find out the prevalence rate of HIV amongst the mentally challenged.

He added that research has shown HIV prevalence was higher among individuals with mentally challenged at 5.2 to 22.9 per cent. “Prevalence rate of infection is 10-76 times compared to the general public,” he said.

He said the literature was available elsewhere, but that locally there was no data available which could inform development. 

“We want to investigate the HIV prevalence on the mentally challenged locally and not always refer to data from the western world.  We want to generate our own data,” he said.

The researches come against the backdrop of the United Nations (UN) AIDS ambitious treatment target to help end the AIDS epidemic by 2020,  with the aim of achieving 90 per cent of all people living with HIV knowing their HIV status. 

By 2020, 90 per cent of all people with HIV infection would receive sustained antiretroviral therapy. By 2020, 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy would have viral suppression. ENDS