19 May 2019

Seventy-two year-old HIV activist, Mr Stanley Monageng says the spread of HIV can be stopped if the available intervention programmes such as the 90-90-90 initiative are utilised effectively.

Mr Monageng, who has lived with HIV for 19 years, embarked on a 10-day road campaign recently to sensitise people about the 90-90-90 initiative, as well as the benefits of testing for the virus and taking Antiretroviral (ARV) therapy according to doctors’ instructions.

He was accompanied on the road campaign by six members of the Thusang Bana Centre, which he founded in 2015 in Molepolole, to assist in the fight against the virus’ spread.

The road campaign covered a total distance of 370 kilometres from Molepolole to Gaborone, via Thamaga, Moshupa, Pitseng, Jwaneng, Ralekgetho, Kanye, Lotlhakane East, Lobatse, Otse and Ramotswa.

He said he went on the strenuous trip in order to share the ‘treat all campaign’ message with the communities in those places, despite not having such resources as support vehicles.

“I am doing this in order to show Batswana that HIV positive people like myself can lead normal lives if they take treatment properly.

They can work, get married, raise children, and lead normal lives if they follow doctors’ instructions on how to take treatment,” he said during a brief stop-over in Lobatse on May 16.

The activist encouraged people to take advantage of opportunities offered by the 90-90-90 initiative, which aims to have at least 90 per cent of all people living with HIV knowing their status, 90 per cent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receiving sustained antiretroviral therapy, and 90 per cent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy having viral suppression.

Mr Monageng expressed a concern that the ‘treat all campaign’ had not yet reached most of the rural communities.

He said while many people used to die of HIV in the past, it should not be the case anymore because of the presence of such initiatives as 90-90-90.

“If we could work together and take these initiatives seriously there would be no more HIV transmissions in the future.

We should all fight against the virus transmission through behavioural change because prevention is better than cure,” said the activist.

He shared that he started his activism work in 2005 in order to fight stigma and discrimination of people living with HIV.

“I am one of those who were stigmatised after openly declaring my status. I am happy now that the situation is better. I believe that God has chosen me to take the light to people who are still in the dark about HIV. I pray day and night that God can keep me until I achieve what I started,” he said. 

For his part, United States of America ambassador to Botswana, Mr Craig Cloud said stigma and discrimination towards people living with HIV continued to prevent a large number of people from knowing their HIV status and enrolling on treatment early.

Mr Cloud urged people to treat HIV just like other diseases such as cancer and diabetes.

“It is a disease that doesn’t have to kill you. It is something that you can treat and stay healthy. Stigma will stop us from healing this disease,” he said.

The ambassador said he was proud at how far Botswana had come in extending lifesaving treatment to those with HIV and implementing programmes to prevent the spread and care for those affected.

He said the United States of America government had spent P10 billion over the past 10 years to assist in the fight against HIV in Botswana.

Lobatse Town Council deputy mayor, Mr Francis Mokwena said the town had made good strides in HIV response.

“Last year in November, our mayor launched the 90-90-90 campaign. The campaign has been a success as we experience high uptake of HIV testing. Statistics inform us that we have around 5 661 patients who are on Antiretroviral treatment,” he said.

Mr Mokwena further said the Lobatse District Health Management Team had so far enrolled patients on medication promptly without wasting any time. ENDS