28 Nov 2024

The National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) is concerned about new HIV infections.

In 2023 alone, 4 100 new HIV infections were recorded in Botswana, says Mr Oageng Moseki, the Chief Health Officer at NAHPA.

Mr Moseki said in a recent interview with BOPA that as per the 2023 statistics, 360 000 people were living with HIV, most being women which were around 220 000.

He said even though the focus was to create an HIV-free generation, it was unfortunate to record children infected with HIV. He said around 20 000 children aged 16-24 years were HIV positive.

 Even though the situation was a serious concern, Mr Moseki said the numbers of HIV positive people had dropped compared to the previous years. However, the situation was a concern as the focus was to eliminate new HIV infections and move towards an HIV-free generation.

Another issues of concern was that the girl-child aged 15-24, the age category which accounted for nine per cent of the country’s population were mostly affected by new infections accounting for 24 per cent of the new HIV infections.

As for the high numbers of HIV infection among children (15-24) most of them were girls. Mr Moseki said the use of condoms in the age category has reduced.

Mr Moseki said another challenge could be the increase of inter-generational sexual relationships as more girls were getting in sexual relations with elderly men.

He said the young girls were empowered to make informed decisions and have the power to oppose any decisions likely to put them at risk of being infected with HIV as they were enticed by something which they needed the most, be it cash or any other valuable possession.

Mr Moseki said a change in behaviour was the primary remedy to resisting temptation and engaging in any behaviour likely to risk HIV infection.

He added that the country was also recording HIV and AIDS related deaths. Mr Moseki said 6 400 people died of HIV and AIDS related infections in 2023.

Mr Moseki said in the past, the country used to record around 12 000 to 20 000 HIV and AIDS related deaths per annum during the period of 2000-2004.

Mr Moseki said the HIV and AIDS relatid death were reduced drastically after the rollout of the ARV programme. However, he said recording 6 400 was still a huge number and therefore HIV and AIDS pandemic remains a serious challenge in Botswana.

Mr Moseki said women were more vulnerable to HIV and AIDS. He said Mahalapye District was the most affected by new HIV infections, followed by Bobirwa, Francistown and North East.

Mr Moseki said NAHPA has programmes in place that were aimed at fighting HIV and AIDS. Since 2000, programmes such as Prevention of Mother to Child HIV Transmission (PMTCT), which over the years performed satisfactorily, were engaged to stop new infections.

Currently, Mr Moseki said under one per cent of children were born HIV positive. He added that the country was exemplary to the world in fighting HIV infection during pregnancy and at birth. He said Botswana surpassed the set targets and was almost eradicating new HIV infections among children.

Mr Moseki said the country has observed targets that were set by UNAIDS in 2021 of 95-95-95 targets being those who know their HIV status on ARV therapy and having the HIV viral load suppressed.

Currently, Mr Moseki said 95 percent of people know their HIV status, 98 per cent were on ARV therapy and 98 per cent of them have their viral load suppressed.

He said for the statistics to be showing that more women were HIV positive could be a result of something positive, as they were mostly eager to seek medical attention compared to their male counterparts.

He said through frequenting health facilities, women will have access to information and health services, therefore testing for HIV. In other cases, Mr Moseki said women were among the vulnerable groups of the society experiencing all forms of violence and therefore exposed to the risk of getting HIV.

He said in any form of relationship, women were oppressed by men, therefore being vulnerable to obliging to decision that will expose them to HIV infection. He said some women agree to engage in risky or unprotected sexual activities with their partners as they have little say in decision-making especially in cases where the man was the sole provider or bread winner.

He said NAHPA was also engaging all sectors of the society to fight new HIV infections with special focus on vulnerable groups such as sex workers. He said men were also involved in sexual relations with other men and therefore risking getting infection with HIV.

He said men who were engaged in sex work hardily parade themselves at well-known spots like women, but rather meet through some forms of social gathering that were not publicly visible. ENDS