14 Nov 2022

 With Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) increasingly becoming a steady silent pandemic, Batswana have been encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyles to avert their challenge.

In his  State-of-the-Nation Address in Gaborone on November 14, President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said the  World Health Organisation (WHO) statistics of 2020 revealed that NCDs accounted for 46 per cent of all premature deaths in the country.

Dr Masisi said deaths associated with NCDs were preventable through physical activity, healthy eating and avoiding substance abuse and tobacco use as well as guarding emotions to avoid stress.

He said Botswana had recorded one of the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in the world with 1 534 801 people fully vaccinated to the target of 70 per cent set by WHO mid-2022.

Regarding HIV/AIDS, Dr Masisi urged Batswana to jealously guard the positive progress made in the efficacy treatment programme.

He encouraged sustained adherence to treatment in order to contain and reduce the spread of the virus.

He hailed Botswana for exceeding the WHO 95-95-95 target as well as reducing Mother-to-Child Transmission to 2.21 per cent surpassing the 5 per cent global target.

Furthermore, he said Botswana was bestowed with a National Achievement Award by the Africa- America Institute for effectively containing and managing the spread of HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria among other accomplishments.

Meanwhile, he said he was concerned that fewer men compared to women were testing for HIV/AIDS and therefore encouraged all to proactively test for HIV/AIDS and adhere to treatment. ENDS