December 1, 2010 marks yet another commemoration of World AIDS Day, which offers an opportunity to reflect and to renew our resolve in winning the fight against the epidemic. This year's commemoration is particularly important as its marks the end of the time frame for achieving Millennium Development Goal (MDGs) 6(b) which is to: "Achieve, by 2010, universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it". As a nation we need to take stock of our self and gauge our achievements against this goal. This will determine the efficiency of the Botswana Democratic Party government policy on AIDS and HIV.
This year's theme has two important and parallel elements which we must remember as we commemorate World AIDS day. The first element is that of universal access. MGD 6b mentioned above sets 2010 as a target year for universal access to treatment for HIV/AIDS for all those who need it. As a nation it is very important to ensure that AIDS patients have access to education to ensure prevention, access to health facilities for HIV/AIDS treatment, access to proper nutrition and access to care and support. Universal access calls for the BDP government to ensure HIV treatment is made accessible through ensuring that clinics in rural areas are stocked with medication for treatment of HIV/AIDS and related illnesses. It is travesty for people to have to travel long distances to major hospitals to get ARVs and other HIV/AIDS medications. Practical universal access mean ensuring availability of resources (medication and personnel) to deal with HIV/AIDS related cases even in the remotest parts of Botswana. These are areas where HIV infection rates are prevalent due to abject poverty and hence access to resources to fight the epidemic in these areas can never be sufficiently stressed. As long as HIV/AIDS treatment is only available in certain areas and people in other parts of the country have to travel long distances to access treatment then we cannot as a country say with a clear conscience and raised heads that we have achieved MGD 6b. A lot of work needs to be done to ensure practical access to HIV/AIDS treatment. We need to fight poverty because without good nutrition the struggle against HIV/AIDS will be difficult. There is need to look at the structure of our country's economy to ensure that it stops churning out poverty like it is currently the case. It has been scientifically proven that you need good nutrition to boost your immune system. Therefore the poor are most likely to suffer as a result of lack of resources to access nutritious food. ARV drugs by themselves are not enough to lower the mortality rate.
