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Speaking at the Botswana Business Coalition on AIDS (BBCA) Second Annual Red Ribbon awards last Friday, the minister reiterated that HIV/AIDS still pose the greatest challenge to the country. According to the 2004 Botswana Impact Survey (BAIS II), the prevalence rate remains very high at 17.1 percent of the general population. About 33.4 percent of pregnant women aged 15-49 years are living with HIV in Botswana. Tlou said the tendency of HIV to affect all sectors has long necessitated the multi-sectoral approach to combat the epidemic. She added that the importance of the business community cannot be undermined. She emphasised that this signified by the mining sector's response in providing ARV treatment and the prevention, care and support services put in place by the private and public sectors for their workers. "This social responsibility goes a long way in signifying one of the Vision 2016 principles of a compassionate and caring nation." The minister said the business community has been instrumental in the private-public endeavour to combat HIV/AIDS. Some of the main players here are international partnerships like Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Then there are several drug companies and local ones such as Affiliated Fund Administrators (AFA) and private providers. She applauded the development partners - BOTUSA, ACHAP, UNICEF, WHO - not just for their partnership with government in the fight against HIV, but also for their continued support to BBCA to carry out its mandate. "True partnerships such as these ones takes cognisance of the fact that government cannot do it alone or as our saying goes, mabogo dinku a a the bana. The role of the private sector in Botswana is to be further acknowledged in the sense that they pioneered the delivery of ART, as early as 1990 for the benefit of employees and their families." The private sector presently has approximately 8,000 patients on ARV treatment. "From the above perspective, the continued collaboration of AFA Botswana, Debswana and the BBCA, with the Global Business Coalition on HIV/AIDS (GBC) with its headquarters in New York is also a good basis for continued learning, and an exchange of experiences." Tlou commended the private sector, especially BBCA for its commitment. Elemech received the small companies award, while in the medium category AFA was the winner. AON won the large category award. The overall award went to BCL. Other companies were recognised for their outstanding contribution to contain the epidemic at the workplace.
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