03 Mar 2020

In an endeavour to strengthen HIV prevention, couple testing is highly promoted, assistant district AIDS coordinator Ms Gosiame Thokwane said on Friday during a couple testing dinner event.

She said the district was concerned that few men in the district test, and as such couple testing was an initiative muted to offer men an opportunity to test with their partners.

She stated that the couple testing event encouraged positive health seeking behaviours by men and it afforded couples an opportunity to mutually disclose their status in an environment where support was provided by a counsellor.

Ms Thokwane said it was an opportunity for discussing and deciding upon prevention, treatment and support options based on the outcome of the test results.

She indicated that for discordant couples early Anti-Retroviral Treatment initiation for the HIV positive partner was crucial as it may lower transmission rate of HIV to the negative partner.

Couples, she said, must always discuss issues around their relationships and how they could impact on their health and afford themselves an opportunity to plan together for the future.

A midwife at Letlhakane Clinic, Ms Irene Nyatanga stated that in a move to promote testing, they ensured that all testing resources were always available.

She indicated that 2019/2020 statistics revealed that 1 181 males and 2 160 females tested for HIV.

She stated that there were 3 209 males and 6 233 females enrolled on Anti-Retroviral Treatment in Boteti.

For those who die while on Anti-Retroviral Treatment there were six males and five females, with six in Orapa, three Rakops and two in Letlhakane.

Tebelopele Counselling and Testing Centre representative Ms Kutlwano Morakile said it was crucial for couples to know how to protect and live with each other.

She said government was committed to fight HIV/AIDS to save lives.ENDS