24 Jun 2019

Jwaneng District AIDS coordinator, Mr Kebonyemodisa Watota has expressed concern at the tendency of the community and civil servants’ failure to attend major national events such as the annual International AIDS Candlelight Memorial Service.

Welcoming guests at this year’s memorial service in Jwaneng recently, Mr Watota indicated that this was despite all possible efforts towards inviting them by publicising the event on the eve of the event.

He observed that such events come at a cost to the tax payer, so it was only proper that stakeholders grace them. He also cautioned that such events were part and parcel of a civil servant’s duty, meaning they were compelled to attend.

Mr Watota also advised church leaders to always ensure they bring along their flock to such events, as churches were major stakeholders in prayers against any societal ill.

For her part, Jwaneng deputy mayor, Ms Olga Ditsie said with millions of lives lost and close to 37 million people currently living with HIV, the global community remained challenged by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

Ms Ditsie indicated that such a challenge was also exacerbated by other factors such as the waning advocacy support from civil society.

“We stand now at crossroads of a turbulent, yet transformational time in the global AIDS, health and development sectors with multifaceted political and financial challenges affecting the strength and sustainability of the networks of people living with HIV and key populations around the world,” she said.

She also indicated that despite the advocacy on HIV/AIDS having been preached for years, there still exist in society challenges such as human rights violations and lack of political willingness to scale up national HIV/AIDS responses, which she said hads left far too many victims exposed to multiple risks and jeopardised the gains made over the years.

She said therefore that the International Candlelight Memorial Service should serve as a reminder of those that were the most affected and should be put at the forefront for the right to life and good health.

Ms Ditsie also reminded the churches that although Botswana was a secular state, many citizens believed that churches were the gatekeepers of our communities.

She said in that way, it was vital that churches be engaged, more especially in helping mobilise members and preaching adherence and embracing health services, promoting behavioural change and participating in HIV/AIDS response activities. ENDS