09 Dec 2019

Research has revealed that there is a strong bi-directional linkage between HIV/AIDS and poverty.

This was said by Tlou Energy executive director, Mr Gabaake Gabaake at the World AIDS day commemoration held in Mabuo recently.

Mr Gabaake indicated that HIV/AIDS was both a cause and outcome of poverty as was the case with poverty in relation HIV/AIDS.

He said it was important to recognise the essential role that communities continued to play in the AIDS response at the international, national and local levels.

He said poverty often led to a casual, day-to-day existence dominated by survival needs and at the extreme, poverty fostered a fatalistic attitude that manifested itself in indifference to high risk sexual and other behaviours.

“In these circumstances, individuals are poorly motivated and poorly equipped to take necessary steps to protect themselves from HIV, thus an effective fight against HIV is basically a fight against poverty and unemployment,” he said.

He also expressed concern about men’s attitudes towards women, something he said needed to be addressed adequately, especially in rape cases which had seen Botswana rank second in the world.

Mr Gabaake said there was need to increase community involvement and participation in all HIV/AIDS programmes.

“The stronger the community the stronger the advocacy to ensure that AIDS remains on the political agenda, that human rights are respected and that decision-makers and implementers are held accountable,” he said.

However, he indicated that Botswana had made progress in the war against HIV/AIDS by joining the world in commemorating World AIDS day, an internationally recognised event that was customary to uniting people in the fight against HIV/AIDS.

The event, he said also aimed to support those living with HIV, mobilise communities to access HIV services and pay tribute to those who had died from HIV/AIDS related illnesses.

Further, Mr Gabaake encouraged all to be a part of the fight and not leave it solely to government, adding ‘but most importantly it must be at individual level for those who are HIV free to remain so over the next 12 months and those already infected to stay healthy and live productive and positive lives instead of giving up on life’.

He said Botswana remained committed to ending AIDS by intensifying efforts to achieve universal access to HIV prevention, treatment, care and support

He added that Botswana had also made significant progress in areas like prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, which he said was currently below 1.4 per cent, anti-retroviral programme that had an uptake of 84 per cent as well as Safe Male Circumcision, some strategy which had been proven to reduce the risk of transmission of HIV by 60 per cent.

He further indicated that provision of quality health care remained one of government’s top priorities as alluded to by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi in his State-of-Nation Address (SONA) last month.

Government, he added continued to demonstrate its relentless commitment to ending AIDS, using evidence-informed and most effective HIV treatment, hence the Treat All Strategy that was introduced in 2016. ENDS