Measures taken to control HIV/AIDS in Botswana

1. Activities aimed at preventing new
infections
The HIV/AIDS talks are conducted in all hospitals
and clinics.
The health officials are also using the radio and
television, to teach people about the dangers of AIDS
and methods of preventing the spread of the virus.
 These days, such talks are aimed at influencing
people to act responsibly in sexual matters through
behaviour change.
 There are posters that encourage people to "spread
the message and not the virus".

2. Activities aimed at preventing new
infections cont.
They also use slogans such "A, B, C", which stands for
"abstain", "be faithful" and "condomise".
 This is meant to encourage those who are not yet
sexually active to abstain, while encouraging sexually
active group to stick to one partner and to always use
condoms.
 Condoms for both men and women are freely distributed
at government hospitals and clinics.
Tebelopelo Testing Centres are opened in every village to
encourage people to test for HIV antibody.
The government has also intensified the promotion of
Safe Male Circumcision (SMC), which reduces the chance
of getting infected with HIV/AIDS by sixty percent.

3. Activities aimed at preventing new
infections cont.
Launching of Prevention of Mother to Child
Transmission (PMTCT) in 2002 to protect unborn
babies from HIV infection from their mothers is one
way that is aimed at reducing new infections.
In this programme, pregnant women are offered pre-
test counselling after which they are tested for HIV.
If found to be HIV positive, they are given an AIDS
drug called AZT, Retrovir which helps to protect the
unborn child from being infected with HIV during
pregnancy and at child birth.

4. Activities aimed at preventing new
infections cont.
Hospitals also offer free testing for HIV and those
who are negative are encouraged to remain negative.
For those who are positive government has adopted
the strategy ‘test and treat’ irrespective of CD 4 cell
count.

5. Caring for HIV positive people
By now you should know that when people get infected with
HIV they do not become sick immediately.
This means that with proper medical care, they can lead a
productive life for a long time before they get AIDS.
 The health system is doing a number of activities to maintain
the good health of HIV positive people before they fall sick.
Hospitals offer free counselling to help the HIV positive
people to cope and live happily but carefully with the virus.
 Government hospitals and clinics provide AIDS medicine
such as Antiretroviral drugs, commonly known as ARVs freely
to HIV positive people to strengthen their immune system.

6. Caring for HIV positive people
Government hospitals and clinics distribute free baskets of
nutritious food to HIV positive people so that their bodies are
well nourished.
 Frequent medical check-ups are given to HIV positive people
so that if there are any opportunistic diseases, they can be
treated quickly before they cause any problems.
 Opportunistic diseases, such as tuberculosis, pneumonia and
meningitis, are AIDS related ailments that take advantage of
the weakened immune system to attack the HIV infected
person.
 Free testing is offered at many government hospitals so that
people can test and know their HIV status so that if they are
HIV positive, they can be started on ARV therapy without
delay.

7. Caring for HIV positive people
Hospitals and clinics offer medicines to AIDS patients
when they visit the hospital.
 Many such patients are admitted into hospital for
medical attention by doctors and nurses.
 Free counselling is offered to AIDS patients to help them
understand their condition and to let them know that
they can lead a useful life inspite of the infection.
 Hospitals and clinics also supervise Home Based Care
Programmes.
 Nurses and counsellors visit AIDS patients at home and
give advice to caretakers on how to be good care givers
and how to avoid being infected in the course of caring
for the sick.