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Thandeka Moyo, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government of Botswana has extended free HIV treatment to foreign residents including Zimbabweans to lessen the burden of the epidemic in the neighbouring country.
According to UNAids, there are an estimated 30 000 foreigners living with HIV in Botswana, but less than a quarter of them have access to treatment.
Botswana has the third highest HIV prevalence in the world, the fifth being Zimbabwe with more than one in five of the adult population aged 15–49 years living with the virus.
“In a major policy shift that closes a significant gap in the country’s response to the epidemic, the Government of Botswana has extended free HIV treatment to foreign residents. Many foreign residents are simply unable to afford medicines or return home to seek medical help,” read a statement from UNAids. UNAids executive director, Gunilla Carlsson, said the major step will help the country progress towards ending HIV. “I commend Botswana for extending free treatment to foreign residents living with HIV. This measure will save lives and help the entire country progress towards ending the Aids epidemic.
“It’s another example of Botswana’s leadership and its determination to leave no one behind in the response to HIV,” he said.
In 2016, Botswana decided to adopt a “Treat all Citizens” strategy by extending free treatment to all Batswana living with HIV, a step that has been yielding significant results.
UNAids said since 2010, AIDS-related deaths have decreased by a third, with new HIV infections down by 36 percent over the same period.
“Based on the government’s decision, the Ministry of Health and Wellness will issue a special government directive to allow health facilities to provide treatment to all people living with HIV residing in the country.”
By 2020, 90 percent of all people living with HIV should know their HIV status, 90 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection should be receiving sustained antiretroviral therapy and lastly by 2020, 90 percent of all people receiving antiretroviral therapy should have achieved viral suppression. – @thamamoe
Online Reporter