Botswana Must Find Social Approach to HIV/AIDS. 19/2/10
Mr Sidibe applauded efforts made by Botswana in its highest coverage on treatment and commendable strides in reducing the mortality rate by 50 per cent.
19 February 2010
Gaborone - UNAIDS executive director, Mr Michel Sidibe has requested government to look at its prevention programme in a bid to reengineer its social approach to the HIV/AIDS scourge.
Mr Sidibe, who was on a two-day visit to the country, paid a courtesy call ono the Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Margaret Nasha on Wednesday.
UNAIDS is the main advocate for global action on the epidemic. Started in 1996, it strengthens and supports expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV and alleviating the impact of the epidemic.
He told the Speaker that Botswana was a success story as far as fighting the scourge was concerned and explained that it was high time to divert from a commodity driven approach to a more social approach.
Let us build the capacity to make young people more responsible. Let us rebuild our family settings and curb issues of violence towards women and the girl child. Preventing the scourge is vital and that would never happen without re-engineering the social approach, said Mr Sidibe.
Mr Sidibe explained that he was in the country to gain better understanding and appreciation on the outstanding progress that the country had made in the response to HIV/AIDS and to explore areas for strengthened collaboration with government and other partners.
Mr Sidibe, who has been at the helm of UNAIDS since January last year said there should be serious advocacy for the scourge from all leaders in the community, adding that as long as people were complacent to stopping new infections then the community would be fighting a losing battle.
He applauded efforts made by Botswana in its highest coverage on treatment and commendable strides in reducing the mortality rate by 50 per cent.
Botswana demonstrated that we can stop transmission and virtual illumination of new infections is on the cards. To advocate for zero new infections bring all stakeholders on board as envisaged in your national vision.
For her part, Ms Nasha said government was taking the issue seriously and was already displaying its commitment to zero tolerance to new infections. BOPA