02 Aug 2018

Mr Badiredi Setlaelo, an HIV activist based at Dinokwane ward in Serowe, has challenged people living with HIV to find ways to empower themselves to further play a role in the management of their illnesses.  

The 35-year-old motivational speaker told BOPA that  that one way patients could better manage their illnesses was through adhering to medication regime. 

“Once patients stop taking medication, the virus begins attacking their body cells again leaving them susceptible to infection, resulting in death and I have seen a lot of lives being lost as a result of this,” he said. 

He thus advised patients to be aware of the implications of stopping treatment and be schooled about the effects of such. 

“HIV medication is a life-long commitment for ‘us’ as patients, where missing even one dose can have consequences. It is because of this that I intend to look out for patients who are at risk of stopping medication and provide counselling services for effective HIV treatment,” he said. 

Mr Setlaelo has commended government for the ‘treat all initiative’, where all HIV-positive people are enrolled on lifesaving HIV treatment upon testing positive. 

He said he has publicly disclosed his HIV status to assist others in ensuring a healthy life, through taking part in promotion of HIV testing, adhering to treatment and encouraging others to heed advice from health service providers. 

He indicated that it was disheartening that there are some people who still believe that traditional doctors could cure HIV. 

Mr Setlaelo also advised against the use of alcohol by those living with HIV.

He said he was looking for potential sponsors to compile a video to focus on reducing HIV stigma as he had realised that most of the time, stigmatisation and discrimination led to denial, which could lead to the patients refusing to take medication. 

Mr Setlaelo said having been diagnosed HIV positive in 2012, he never looked back, adding that so far, he had worked with SADC, NACA and Serowe District Health Management Team as an activist and a motivational speaker. 

“Instead of treating HIV as a death sentence, I have chosen to use it as a tool to educate Batswana and improve their lives,” he said. 

He said to him, disclosure was about motivating people to seek testing upon learning a partner’s HIV status and a behavioural change tool to prevent further spread of HIV. 

Mr Setlaelo said his plan was to set up an organisation for HIV/AIDS survivors to share experiences, spread more information about HIV/ AIDS as well as give support to the families of those who have died of the scourge. ENDS