3 December 2008
editorial
As part of his World AIDS Day message, President Ian Khama warned of the unsustainability of the anti-retroviral (ARV) programme in the long run.
He noted that by 2016, about 220,600 patients are expected to be on the programme.
We shudder to imagine what the unsustainability portends for the nation. Fresh in our minds are the high mortality rates and burials that were a common feature of Botswana before the advent of the MASA ARV programme. At that time, HIV/AIDS-related mortality accounted for the majority of funerals throughout the country.
Surely nobody wants to go back to those dreadful days of endless deaths and the extreme mental distress they brought to bear on the bereaved. Both the infected and the affected succumbed to the anguish. The MASA programme stemmed this tide and curtailed premature deaths. But for how long this trend can be maintained depends on the conduct - individually and collectively - of Batswana.
Each and every individual has a responsibility to arrest the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Infact, the fight against the pandemic requires only a few things from us. These are well-known and may appear mundane by now. But they can mean the difference between life and death.
Given the gravity of the pandemic, it is critical for us to reiterate these responsibilities. For they are as simple as ABC - Abstain, Be faithful and/or Condomise. All these call for personal responsibility.
That responsibility also goes out to those who find themselves already infected and those who are not yet aware of their status. It is disheartening that despite all the commendable efforts of the health authorities and other role players, not many Batswana are going for the free testing available. It is actually scandalous and criminal that to-date, only 60 percent of Batswana have tested for HIV. It is equally criminal for those on ARVs not to comply with their treatment regimen - as we understand there are such people - that is freely provided by the state. Failure to comply with the regimen only exacerbates the cost to the taxpayer as the next line of drugs is more expensive.
We therefore appeal to every individual to take full responsibility if we are to win the war against the AIDS pandemic. It begins with you.
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