09 Sep 2018

The zero new HIV/AIDS infection is achievable when both parents play their roles in parenting as opposed to cases where parents are physically present but absent emotionally.

Giving a keynote address during the month of prayer against HIV and AIDS launch in Gaborone on September 6, Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP) official Ms Lorato Mphusu revealed that present but absent parenting was a concern raised by girls at counselling centres.

She said HIV was not only a physical problem but a spiritual problem. This, she said was the reason why the nation was turning to God hence the formation of BOCAIP.

Ms Mphusu said such parenting made girls to seek attention and affection from the wrong people such as men who normally take advantage of young girls and in most cases infect them with the virus.

She added that most parents were busy with either work, friends and family gatherings or social media.

She said all that left the children idling not knowing what to do because at times no one was responsible for advice, love and care for them.

Ms Mphusu said because women needed attention and affection, if not accorded that at home, the girl child ends up giving up and seeking that attention from wrong people.

She challenged parents to help the government raise the girl child as the girls were at a high risk of getting infected.

“Parents should not leave the responsibility of parenting to the government nor teachers,” she said.

Ms Mphusu noted that the idea was not to neglect the boy child stating that the girl child was three times more exposed to the risk of HIV infection than boys.

Multiple concurrent partners, gender-based violence and alcohol abuse, she mentioned are key contributors to new HIV infections in the country.

She added that there had been incidents where women got pregnant but did not know the father because one was under the influence of alcohol.

Ms Mphusu further said women with multiple concurrent relationships with benefits also exposed women to infection because they do not have a say in the kind of sex they want.

For her part, Economic Stimulus Programme coordinator Ms Goitsemang Morekisi noted that Botswana stands at number three with the highest number of HIV infections after Lesotho and Swaziland.

Ms Morekisi said despite the statistics, the government was committed to achieve no new HIV transmission. ENDS