29 Jun 2017

The US Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Earl Miller says Good Hope community will benefit from the Safe Male Circumcision Campaign initiated by the US President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Speaking at the PEPFAR health seminar in Good Hope on June 28, Mr Miller said the village would be part of the current accelerated campaign which was to provide 8 800 adolescent boys and men with Safe Male Circumcision (SMC) by the end of August.

He said that the United States stood by its commitment to Treat All through their PEPFAR investments in the country.

He said they had contributed US$55million this year to support Botswana’s national HIV response.

“We have agreed to increase next year’s contribution to US$69 million contingent on Congressional approval,” he said.

He pointed out that Botswana would reach epidemic control in the next 3-4 years by completing the challenging yet, necessary task of enrolling 100 000 HIV positive clients on anti-retroviral treatment.

On another note, Mr Miller advised the Good Hope community to think about what best practices they would adopt to improve their own testing yield and treatment coverage.

He also said when President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama Seretse Khama launched the Treat All strategy on June last year, the country formed a select group of nations which are projected to reach the Global 90-90-90 goals in the next 3-4years.

He said this meant that 90 per cent of HIV cases are diagnosed, 90 per cent  of those diagnosed begin treatment and 90 per cent of those on treatment maintain viral suppression.

Different stakeholders participated and advocated for community involvement to fasten the Treat All strategy.

Support groups which consisted of people living with HIV said that it is very imperative for them to be accorded the platform to reach out to the community as they are the living testimonies.

Mr Stanley Monageng said if they are engaged as people living with HIV Treat All will be a success.

He said they are willing to go an extra mile if given the opportunity to reach out to communities.

When testifying about their experiences, most of the people living with HIV advised that it is wise to start medication as early as possible.

They denied rumours usually spread about the ARV enrollment, stating that they are not true.

They said when engaged, they will get to help those who are even scared to start treatment by counselling them and testifying to them that they are no scary side effects or night mares that people usually speak of. ENDS