03 Apr 2019

The fifth installment of Botswana AIDS Impact Survey,  which will for the first time be combined with a Tuberculosis prevalence study, was launched in Gaborone on April 2.

Speaking at the launch, Dr Madisa Mine of the National Health Laboratory said the TB sample size would consist of 38 000 participants while that of HIV would need 16 000.

“This sample would be nationally representational of Botswana with the aim of examining the distribution of HIV in Botswana, determining point prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed pulmonary TB in Botswana as well as assessing health seeking behaviour for TB related symptoms of individuals aged 15 years and above,” he said. 

Regarding HIV, he said the goal was to find out suppression levels and determine prevalence at district level. 

So far districts have been sensitised while full council briefings are ongoing. 

Minister of Health and Wellness  Dr Alfred Madigele underscored the significance of the survey in determining behavioural trends in the general population as well as using it to calibrate national estimates. 

Dr Madigele noted that the component of TB was essential for the survey as the disease was responsible for 13 per cent of all adult deaths and 40 per cent of deaths among people living with HIV.

 “To date, the proportion of TB patients among people presenting with HIV infection in health care facilities is about 60 per cent,” he said. 

He said the survey, expected to be rolled out in the next six months, was a costly undertaking and needed additional funding to yield reliable results. 

Dr Madigele therefore pleaded with local authorities across Botswana to offer the necessary support to the survey teams.

National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency, formerly NACA, alongside Statistics Botswana will act as the main technical partners. 

The last survey, conducted in 2013, puts the HIV prevalence rate for Botswana at 18.5 per cent. ends