Botswana: U.S. Envoy Hails Botswana HIV Treatment Programme
By, Chandapiwa Baputaki, Mmegi/The Reporter (Gaborone), December 4, 2006
Botswana has one of the most inspired HIV treatment programmes in the world, the regional environment and health officer at the American Embassy in Gaborone, Anthony Woods has said.
When delivering the keynote address at the World AIDS Day commemoration held at the Gaborone Senior Secondary School grounds on Friday, the envoy stated that in early 2002, Botswana initiated MASA, Africa's first national free Anti-Retroviral (ARV) programme. By June this year, the enrolment in the programme stood at 68,440 patients - far beyond expectations.
Woods said BOTUSA is providing on-going support to MASA, which includes the purchasing of ARV drugs, developing and updating national treatment guidelines and supporting a national training programme.
He noted that there is ongoing support to the HIV reference laboratories that monitor patients on ARV treatment, as well as renovations at the Jubilee laboratory in Francistown. Woods stated that people around the world, in partnership with Americans, are turning the tide against HIV/AIDS in their own nations and communities. He said the promise of these partnerships is to develop the capacity that will allow communities to sustain their efforts long after the initial five years.
He indicated that according to the Second Generation HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report in Botswana, there has been a decline in the HIV prevalence among pregnant women in the country from 37 percent in 2003 to 33 percent in 2005. Prevalence rates among young women between the ages of 15-24 have fallen to the lowest levels in a decade. "It may be too early to say whether this is an actual trend. The truth won't be known until another surveillance report is conducted, but the news has left many of us feeling optimistic," Woods said.
He noted that routine testing in Botswana has dramatically increased the number of people who know their HIV status but has not changed the fact that an estimated 256,000 adults are currently living with HIV. "And we can't ignore that worldwide, there has been an average of 4.6 million new infections each year. We are not losing the battle against AIDS although we are badly wounded."
Woods stated that the UNAIDS 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update indicates that 63 percent of all 24.7 million people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa. With 2.4 million, the region leads in new infections this year. In addition the region has accounted for 72 percent of the global AIDS deaths in 2006. Woods said the report noted that Southern Africa remains the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic, with 32 percent of infections and 34 percent of AIDS deaths worldwide.
"We must persevere and we shall triumph in the end. What is needed now are forward thinking innovations in the realm of prevention. An AIDS vaccine would, of course, be a milestone but that is not expected within the next decade," he said. He added that the immediate hope is for new prevention methods like microbicides, gels and creams that could prove to be decisive breakthroughs in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"Microbicides are gels and creams that could be inserted into the vagina before sex to block HIV infection - a method that would put the power of preventing HIV back in the hands of women. The oral prevention drugs are also called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxix- anti-retroviral pills that would be taken daily to prevent HIV infection among people at risk," Woods stated.
He urged the people to continue the fight by taking responsibility for their status, seeking treatment when necessary, caring for those who cannot look after themselves and most of all speaking out. The theme of this year's celebration was: 'Stop AIDS: Keep The Promise."
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200612041784.html
Botswana has one of the most inspired HIV treatment programmes in the world, the regional environment and health officer at the American Embassy in Gaborone, Anthony Woods has said.
When delivering the keynote address at the World AIDS Day commemoration held at the Gaborone Senior Secondary School grounds on Friday, the envoy stated that in early 2002, Botswana initiated MASA, Africa's first national free Anti-Retroviral (ARV) programme. By June this year, the enrolment in the programme stood at 68,440 patients - far beyond expectations.
Woods said BOTUSA is providing on-going support to MASA, which includes the purchasing of ARV drugs, developing and updating national treatment guidelines and supporting a national training programme.
He noted that there is ongoing support to the HIV reference laboratories that monitor patients on ARV treatment, as well as renovations at the Jubilee laboratory in Francistown. Woods stated that people around the world, in partnership with Americans, are turning the tide against HIV/AIDS in their own nations and communities. He said the promise of these partnerships is to develop the capacity that will allow communities to sustain their efforts long after the initial five years.
He indicated that according to the Second Generation HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report in Botswana, there has been a decline in the HIV prevalence among pregnant women in the country from 37 percent in 2003 to 33 percent in 2005. Prevalence rates among young women between the ages of 15-24 have fallen to the lowest levels in a decade. "It may be too early to say whether this is an actual trend. The truth won't be known until another surveillance report is conducted, but the news has left many of us feeling optimistic," Woods said.
He noted that routine testing in Botswana has dramatically increased the number of people who know their HIV status but has not changed the fact that an estimated 256,000 adults are currently living with HIV. "And we can't ignore that worldwide, there has been an average of 4.6 million new infections each year. We are not losing the battle against AIDS although we are badly wounded."
Woods stated that the UNAIDS 2006 AIDS Epidemic Update indicates that 63 percent of all 24.7 million people living with HIV are in sub-Saharan Africa. With 2.4 million, the region leads in new infections this year. In addition the region has accounted for 72 percent of the global AIDS deaths in 2006. Woods said the report noted that Southern Africa remains the epicentre of the global HIV epidemic, with 32 percent of infections and 34 percent of AIDS deaths worldwide.
"We must persevere and we shall triumph in the end. What is needed now are forward thinking innovations in the realm of prevention. An AIDS vaccine would, of course, be a milestone but that is not expected within the next decade," he said. He added that the immediate hope is for new prevention methods like microbicides, gels and creams that could prove to be decisive breakthroughs in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
"Microbicides are gels and creams that could be inserted into the vagina before sex to block HIV infection - a method that would put the power of preventing HIV back in the hands of women. The oral prevention drugs are also called Pre-Exposure Prophylaxix- anti-retroviral pills that would be taken daily to prevent HIV infection among people at risk," Woods stated.
He urged the people to continue the fight by taking responsibility for their status, seeking treatment when necessary, caring for those who cannot look after themselves and most of all speaking out. The theme of this year's celebration was: 'Stop AIDS: Keep The Promise."
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200612041784.html
posted by AIDS-Care-Watch at 9:08 am
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home