13 Dec 2016

United States ambassador, Mr Earl Miller, says gender based violence (GBV) is closely related to HIV and other health issues.

Speaking at the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) new directions in global health seminar, Mr Miller said according to a survey done in 2013, women who experienced GBV were 50 per cent more likely to be infected with HIV than women in non-violent relationships.

He said the survey further indicated that 53 per cent of women surveyed had unprotected sex because their partners refused to use condoms and 23 per cent pregnant women experienced violence.

“Violence against women also has significant economic costs, including health-care costs, lost income for women, decreased productivity and negative impacts across generations,” he said.

The US Ambassador further said the Ministry of Defence, Justice and Security reported that between 2012 and 2014 there were more than 6 000 cases of rape against women and girls and during the same period 235 women were murdered while 1 600 cases of defilement against the age of 16 were reported.

Mr Miller called for forums that will help understand the problem and coordinate respective course of action with greater urgency than before, adding that the US Mission has placed gender equality and the prevention of GBV as a high priority within its agencies and programmes.

He said during the World AIDS Day commemorations, Botswana reflected on the efforts made the past year in the fight against HIV and since this year Botswana made history with a move towards controlling HIV through the adoption of the “Treat All” policy.

Francistown District Health Management Team (DHMT) coordinator, Dr Gobazie Worku Solomon said the district has the second prevalence rate of 24.3 per cent coming after Selibe Phikwe’s 25.1 per cent.

He lamented that the district’s prevalence rate is higher than the national prevalence which is 18.5 per cent. Dr Solomon noted that the district has since come up with a programme dubbed Kickout STIs/TB/HIV because statistics continued to escalate regardless of many interventions already in place.

He explained that through the programme DHMT intends to bridge the gap between the community and the health facilities, use the opportunity to address both communicable and non-communicable diseases , enrich a minimum of 5 000 new in the district to be tested every year and ensure the district attains the 90:90:90 target.

PEPFAR deputy coordinator, Mr Doug Johnson said such seminars were aimed at creating dialogue with the media and district stakeholders outside Gaborone on the success and best practices of US government funded health initiatives, programmes and research and to influence key policy makers at the districts to increase commitment in the response to HIV/AIDS.

“The objectives of the seminars are to expand public awareness, highlight recent developments and successes and share best practices, underscore the need for evidence based planning at district level, build media capacity,

influence key policy makers and enable those working in the field of health to be better prepared to meet the needs of those affected and living with HIV and other diseases,” he said. ENDS