In the recently released Botswana Impact Survey, the country is doing exceptionally well, exceeding the 95-95-95 target set by United Nations Programme on HIV and AIDS (UNAIDS).
UNAIDS’ target is to have 95 percent of all people living with HIV knowing their HIV status; 95 percent of all people with diagnosed HIV infection receiving sustained antiretroviral therapy (ART); and 95 percent of all people receiving ART having Viral Load Suppression (VLS) by 2030.
According to the Impact Survey, Botswana currently stands at 95-98-98.
However, despite the impressive statistics, UNAIDS representative Nametsegang Tswetla revealed recently at the Botswana Network of People Living with HIV and AIDS (BONEPWA) Annual General Meeting that the figures do not in anyway mean the war is over.
“Let’s not celebrate yet. We can only end AIDS if all the groups are at 95-95-95. These groups included the LGBTQ, young adolescent boys and girls, sex workers, people living with HIV and so on,” said Tswetla.
She further revealed that the statistics shows that women are leading, and have contributed significantly to the good statistics.
“Men currently stand at 93-87-86 and the youth at 82-83-76. This mean our efforts should go towards men,” she said and added: “We can only celebrate when everybody is onboard”.
