25 Oct 2023

Addressing social and economic inequalities plays a pivotal role in combating  the spread of HIV/AIDS.

The Botswana Network of Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), executive director Ms Cindy Kelemi said during the HIV/AIDS Health Pitso in Gaborone on October  23.

“From a community perspective, we strongly believe that addressing inequalities  is one of the game changers,” said Ms Kelemi 

She said addressing inequalities would help to address challenges such as high rate of gender based violence and harmful gender norms which contributed to the spread of the virus.

Ms Kelemi said there was correlation between poverty and HIV acquisition especially among the disadvantaged members of the society like people with disabilities, hence the need for specific intervention to reduce their vulnerability.

“Those educated stand a better chance not to get HIV, we need to ensure that the most vulnerable, get education,” she said.

Also, she said the country needed a compressive program for migrants to ensure that they access health services. a

Another challenge that needed to be addressed, she said was ethnicity, particularly the issue of language.

“Aassuming that we all speak one language and understand each other has left some out due to language barrier, and some  missing on  important health information,” she said.

Ms Kelemi said there was also a need to intensity programs around issues of access some  rural areas, digital divide, sexual orientation, gender, poverty, unemployment, as well as saturation of urban areas.

Also, she said addressing inequalities required a national approach and adequate resources.

The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) consultant, Dr Naomi Setshegetso also stated that education level, poverty status, age and gender had an impact on HIV prevalence, adding that education, circumcision campaign  should be strengthened to address prevalence.

Meanwhile participants decried outdated data, saying some of the date used were collected over eight years ago, which impacted on planning and interventions.

The Pitso, which was organised by UNAIDS and National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) and the Ministry of Health was held under the theme, Reaching The Last Mile Sustaining the Gains of AIDS Response in Botswana.’ ENDs