12 Nov 2013

The Ministry of Health, the US government through the centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Harvard School of Public Health through the Botswana-Harvard Partnership (BHP), have announced the launch of a new collaborative study with an aim of drastically reducing new HIV infections and ultimately winning the war on the AIDS epidemic.

A press release from Botswana Harvard Aids Institute stated that the first stage of the four year study will begin in Digawana and Ranaka Villages. It further states that the study is called Ya Tsie (derived from the Setswana proverb meaning “Team work bears more fruit than individual effort”) and also referred to as the Botswana Combination Prevention Project. The release says specifically, the study will determine whether coordinated and strengthened community - based HIV prevention methods prevent the spread of the virus better than the standard methods that are offered individually today.

Overall, 30 communities have been selected from three broad geographical regions in Botswana (Southern, Central and North), based on their population size and geographical location. It also says the eligible participants from these villages are adults aged 16-64 and all the 30 participating communities will receive optimal health care services, enhanced laboratory information systems and promise of no drug shortages during the duration of study.

The release states that all participants will receive household visits by community mobilizers to promote combination prevention services, including HIV testing and counseling, antiretroviral therapy, safe male circumcision and prevention of mother to child transmission (PMTCT).

The release also says some prevention will be expanded to reach HIV - infected individuals with high viral loads, and some women on PMTCT will be targeted to receive lifelong treatment as a strategy for reducing HIV transmission risk. According to the release, the study is being funded by the US government through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief  and technical partners involved in this study include Tebelopele VCT and Jhpiego. ENDS