19 Sep 2022

Botswana is steadfast in obtaining WHO gold tier certification for containing and managing the spread of HIV by 2024.

Speaking on the occasion of the 7th replenishment of the Global Fund to fight TB, Malaria and HIV/AIDS celebration, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said  Botswana was keen to improve on the silver tier award it obtained last year.

The silver tier status recognised Botswana as the first high-burden country to reach a key milestone in the elimination of mother-to-child HIV transmission.

The award goes to countries that have brought mother-to-child HIV transmission rate to under five per cent.

“Such achievements are testament that government is making significant progress in the fight against HIV and AIDS and I am cognisant that the support from the Global Fund will make the achievement attainable,” President Masisi said.

The achievement, he said would demonstrate government’s determination and that of its partners towards the realisation of the Vision 2036 aspiration of long and healthy life for Batswana.

President Masisi said global solidarity and the need to have opportunities for sharing experiences and successes in pursuit of the populace’s good health and wellbeing were important aspects of succeeding in the fight against HIV.

As a result, Botswana had been on an upwards trajectory to achieve the HIV prevention target of 95 per cent set to be attained by 2023.

“Botswana  has made  good  progress in achieving  the set  target. The 2021 preliminary results of the  national HIV  survey indicate that 93.2  per cent  of the  populace know their  HIV status, 98 per cent are  those on treatment and 98 per cent are virally suppressed,” said Dr Masisi.

The President said Botswana had also registered a 46 per cent reduction of new Malaria cases between 2011 and 2021. 

He applauded Global Fund donors for their ambitious target of mobilising over P180 billion to be invested in health sector improvement worldwide.

Botswana, the President said, supported the call for a fully funded Global Fund to enable it to deliver holistically on its  mandate and build resilience to achieve Sustainable Development  Goal three health targets.

A Global Fund beneficiary since 2016, Botswana had through the organisation’s support made great strides  in reducing the  impact of epidemics, Dr Masisi said.

He explained that efforts  were mainly geared at combating  HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic threatened to reverse strides made in fighting  the three diseases, President Masisi said a return  on investment had been realised.

 The situation called for continuous  collective action in order to achieve the  common  goal  of ending epidemics and building a healthier and prosperous health sector, he said.

President Masisi said post-COVID-19 recovery was necessary as  the world needed to fast track programmes aimed at ending HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.

He noted  with  concern  that only 47 per cent  of  the  world’s  population had access to diagnostics  while there were no appropriate tests for 50 per cent of the top 20 diseases that caused the highest mortality  globally.

Dr Masisi therefore urged relevant stakeholders, including governments, to  work cohesively in order to ensure the  development  and availability of essential  diagnostics.BOPA