10 Mar 2014

District AIDS coordinator at the Maun Administration Authority, Mr Shathiso Daki has urged the youth to use the information imparted to them about HIV and AIDS wisely and to live responsible lives.

He was speaking at the AIDS Swagger initiative, organised recently by the Department of Youth and the Botswana National Youth Council (BNYC).

“We must see real change in your lives. You must not take the programs availed to you for granted,” he said. He further urged the youth not to be fooled by the low AIDS related deaths, which had dwindled when compared to the first few years of the pandemic.

He said many people still got infected despite government’s efforts to educate and sensitise them. He added that a decision was made to host the commemorations in Tsau as a way of reaching out to more youth in remote areas and availing to them services that were often out of their reach.

“We are not where we want to be because there are still people who require extensive knowledge to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS,” he said. Mr Daki said it was worrying that people in Ngamiland still refused to go for testing.

He revealed that they fell short of the yearly target of 24 000 tested people. He added that youth between the ages of 25 and 29 years were the most affected with a 23.8 per cent prevalence rate, followed by the 30-34 years age bracket with a 14.4 per cent prevalence rate.

He said such statistics were proof that a lot still needs to be done more so that contact slips were not being put to use. “We must encourage the youth to get tested and use programs like the ARV Program, PMTCT and safe male circumcision. The youth must abstain, be faithful and condomise,” said Mr Daki.

BNYC regional youth officer Mr Moatlhodi Phetogo said it was important to sensitise the youth of Tsau, Khwai, Phuduhudu and Somelo about HIV and AIDS and the various opportunities available to them as a way of molding them to become better citizens. “This will help us to attain our goal of zero new infections, zero discrimination and zero AIDS related deaths,” he said. Ends