04 Dec 2018

Resolve to overcome the battle against HIV/AIDS is said to be on the decline.

This was the general observation made by several speakers at the World AIDS Day commemoration in Bere in the Ghanzi District over the weekend.

When officiating at the event, Ghanzi District officer, Mr Thabo Mokoti, stated that ending new HIV infections would remain a mirage if some in the community continued to ignore prevention, which was the only effective weapon to combat the scourge. 

Mr Mokoti advanced that new HIV infections were inevitable owing to the high number of teenage pregnancy cases, sky rocketing figures of sexually transmitted infections and reluctance to go for HIV/AIDS testing, particularly by pregnant women.

Alcohol abuse, which stood at 76.5 per cent in Ghanzi area, exacerbated the vulnerability to the pandemic.

He called for concerted efforts to win the battle against HIV/AIDS and reminded individuals that it was their obligation to know their status.

He stated that he was happy that the country was doing better in the UNAIDS 90-90-90 target, which aims to diagnose 90 per cent of all HIV/AIDS positive people, provide antiretroviral therapy to 90 of those diagnosed and achieve viral suppression for 90 per cent of those treated by 2020, revealing that the country was at 85-83-78.

On other issues, Mr Mokoti cautioned against non-communicable diseases whose remedy was physical activities.

Principal nursing officer at Ghanzi Primary Hospital, Ms Gositang Venson, regretted that the commitment of some individuals against HIV and AIDS had declined just because HIV and AIDS patients were no longer bed-ridden or died at high rates as in the past, thanks to antiretroviral therapy and PMTCT.

Ms Venson shared Mr Mokoti’s sentiments that high teenage pregnancy rates, high sexually transmitted infections statistics and unwillingness of some pregnant mothers to know their status, were some factors that demonstrated how the community was susceptible to HIV/AIDS.

She said in Ghanzi DHMT jurisdiction, Ghanzi Township, Bere and New Xade recorded high numbers of STIs.  She also said they had recorded 90 teenage pregnancy cases this year, citing among them, a 13-year-old.

She was worried that some patients continued to default from antiretroviral therapy, saying they had 72 such cases this year.

Coordinator of Family health international 360 in Ghanzi, Mr Oteng Magano, said government and civil society organisations’ efforts were let down by individual efforts.

Mr Magano challenged societies to start HIV/AIDS non-governmental organisations at community level, so that the battle could be won.

For his part, Ghanzi men’s sector chairperson Mr Senatla Mosarwa said without male positive contribution, the battle against HIV/AIDS would not be won, hence the establishment of structures such as men’s sector. In a vote of thanks, Councillor Tshabang Sethantsho of east and west Hanahai cautioned that some poverty stricken individuals could fall prey of HIV/AIDS, as they may be compelled to engage in sexual trades, but implored them to resist such temptations. ENDS