10 Feb 2020

The Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church is committed to providing the youth with care and support on HIV/AIDS related issues.

To this end, the SDA on February 8, held an event in Mopipi whose aim was to educate the public on HIV/AIDS and to honour marriage.

Health coordinator at SDA, Ms Oganne Kgari, said the objective was to help the youth make informed decisions on their lives.

She said the church should be a safe haven for its congregants and Batswana at large, hence  establishment of Adventist AIDS International Ministry (AAIM) aimed at mobilising churches on HIV/AIDS.

Ms Kgari indicated that the intention was to also fight stigma and discrimination, noting that every individual deserved to be given all the basic human needs, regardless of their status.

Pastor Phillemon Armando indicated that marriage could be a useful tool in curbing the spread of HIV/AIDS, adding that it was therefore crucial to promote it to reduce the rising HIV/AIDS statistics.

A nurse at Mopipi clinic, Mr Reward Ntwaetsile stated that 536 women and 248 men were enrolled on Anti-Retroviral Treatment (ART) programme.

Mr Ntwaetsile noted that the facility had one under 12 patient, whose status had not been suppressed, with seven youth whose virus had also not been suppressed.

He cautioned the public to desist from spreading the virus, due to fears that they did not want to die alone.

Dr Kenaope Kenaope said it was important to devise strategies to encourage men to test for HIV. Ends