28 Nov 2024

Okavango District has registered low HIV testing uptake among men in the first quarter (April-June) of 2024 and second quarter of 2024 (July-September).

According to a report by Okavango District Health Management Team (DHMT), a total of 2 089 people tested for HIV in the first quarter of 2024 of which 1 514 were women and 575 men while in quarter two a total of 2 514 people tested for HIV in which 1 820 were women and 694 men.

The report says a total of 28 people tested positive in the first quarter of 2024 of which 20 were females and eight males while a total of 43 people tested positive in the second quarter of 2024 of which 23 were females and 20 males.

It further states most men were reluctant to test with their partners or disclose their status.

“In quarter one, a total of 377 women tested for HIV while only 56 of their partners tested. In second quarter a total of 391 women tested for HIV while only 19 of their partners tested,” the report notes.

The report says as interventions, DHMT continues to collaborate with other stakeholders to reach out to men, encourage partner testing and increased testing coverage through training of testers.

It says the district has, however, recorded a 100 per cent programme uptake of Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMCT).

In the first quarter of 2024, the report says a total of 130 women tested HIV positive and were all initiated on antiretroviral therapy (ART) while in the second quarter of 2024 a total of 125 women tested positive and were all initiated on ART.

Meanwhile, Okavango District AIDS Coordinator (DAC) office had pre-activities towards the World AIDS Day district commemoration that will be held at Gumare kgotla on Sunday morning. ENDS