26 Mar 2023

Gaborone District has the lowest HIV prevalence rate of people aged between 15 and 64 years, according to the Fifth Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS V).

The survey published by Statistics Botswana indicted that the capital city prevalence rate stood at 11.1 per cent, followed by South East at 12.8 per cent while Jwaneng and Lobatse were tied at 13.4 per cent.

Central Mahalapye recorded the highest prevalence rate at 33.3 per cent, while Central Tutume and North East recorded 31.1 per cent and 30.0 per cent respectively.

In terms of age and sex, the survey indicated that HIV prevalence rate from females aged between 15 to 64 years was 2.7 per cent for the age bracket of 15 to 19 years, followed by 20 to 24 years at 6.7 per cent, 25 to 29 years at 15.8 per cent while age bracket of 30 to 34 years recorded 20.2 per cent prevalence rate.

The highest prevalence rate of 52 per cent was recorded for the age bracket 45 to 49 years, followed by 49.3 per cent for ages of 40 to 44 years, 43 per cent for 50 to 54 years, 38.9 per cent for 55 to 59 years, 35.6 per cent for 35 to 39 years and lastly 60 to 64 years at 32.6 per cent.

In the male category, prevalence rate from 15 to 64 years was 1.6 per cent for 15 to 19 years, followed by 2.7 per cent in the 20 to 24 age group, 4.8 per cent in the 25 to 29 age group, 6.5 per cent in the 30 to 34 age bracket and 14.8 per cent in the age group 35 to 39.

The male group highest prevalence rates was in the age bracket of 50 to 54 years at 39 per cent, followed by 45 to 49 at 38.7 per cent, 34.3 per cent in the 55 to 59 years, 29.6 per cent in the 60 to 64 years and 26.7 per cent in the age group 40 to 44.

Nationally, the survey put the prevalence rate among adults at 20.8 per cent, which translates to approximately 32 900 adults living with HIV.

The prevalence rate among children aged zero to 14 years is 0.8 per cent, which corresponds to approximately 5 600 children living with HIV.

Regarding the UNAIDS 95-95-95 treatment target to help end the HIV epidemic by 2030, the survey states that the country has exceeded all targets among adults aged 15 to 64 years living with HIV.

“The country has surpassed the overall population-level target for 2030 with more than 91 per cent of all adults living with HIV achieving viral load suppression,” it said.

The BAIS V household national survey among adults from 15 to 64 years and children aged six week to 14 years was conducted from March through August 2021 to measure the impact of the national HIV response. ENDS