The trend of HIV/AIDS prevalence in Selebi-Phikwe has impacted so negatively on the image of the town that it appears difficult to change the people's perceptions about it to create a positive image that could accord Selebi-Phikwe the status and dignity it deserves. But, is it because of social ills that are normally associated with the spread of HIV/AIDS or is it because residents of the town have  heeded the government's calls to test in large numbers and make use of the available initiatives and programmes that are tailor made to fight the disease more than in other districts?

The town has, since the start of the disease, experienced a high number of HIV/AIDS based community based and non governmental organisations that include among others, Positive Living Helper Cell, Children, Women and HIV/AIDS, BOCAIP and Silence Kills support groups that have played a pivotal role in supplementing government efforts in delivering the message to the people. Through these support groups, access to HIV/AIDS programmes and interventions has been made much easier.

Assistant AIDS coordinator, Dineo Champane has indicated that since hosting the National AIDS Day commemorations they have never stopped sensitising people in town and surrounding villages. She noted that people here respond positively to all AIDS interventions and attributed the success to the involvement of available CBOs and NGOs who conduct house-to-house AIDS campaigns, hence they experience high testing numbers.

She notes however that statistics still put Selebi-Phikwe on the top in terms of prevalence rate. The town still tops in HIV prevalence rate statistics by gender standing at 26.5 percent, on prevalence rate by targeted age as well as in the new infection rate that stands at 4.66 percent.

The assistant AIDS coordinator  stressed that it should not only be looked at negatively perspective but it should as well be considered that sometimes people test more than once in all testing centres in a bid to ascertain their status as a result of denial or just testing after acceptance because they know their status is obvious.

This may have an impact in increasing the statistics. The town also experiences an influx of people from surrounding villages accessing health services here and their numbers are included in the statistics. "We want to prevent duplication of efforts by tracking movements of people who have tested by networking all AIDS organisations here to prevent repeated testing."

She added that such people normally do not disclose that they have tested before, hence their cases are treated as first cases whenever they go for testing which also increases the statistics.

Champane noted that the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission(PMTCT) programme has also indicated that a lot of women here are taking it up in large numbers  but the problems becomerepeated pregnancies, a sign that there is still an element of unprotected sex. "This is arguable anyway in that people with HIV/AIDS have the rights to have children but it is disturbing to see it done repeatedly without considering one's health."

The other problem experienced here is that partners of women enrolled on the programme are reluctant to support their women. Another challenge is that men continue to drag their feet when it comes to HIV/AIDS issues and drawing them closer remains a bit difficult.

The issue of multiple and concurrent partners has also remained a problem, with the worst in town being a trend where elderly men engage in sexual activities with younger girls, creating a trend where HIV/AIDS prevalence is the highest among young girls and elderly men. This was discussed at a DMSAC meeting according to Champane, where it was agreed to intensify efforts to address men. On issues of sex work, Champane stated that through their programmes there is a community based organisation that conducts outreach to sex workers by distributing condoms and safer sex information and through this some of them become open to share their experiences. "The Ministry of Works and Transport, through a project funded by the World Bank, will establish a centre for truck drivers to be equipped with health talks to prevent them from spreading into villages where they pick up young girls and women. Putting them in one place is better than leaving them  to roam, making it easier for girls and women to ply their trade."

She noted that even if sex work is not legalised it will still remain in existence and said that perhaps if licensed it would help those in the business to openly access programmes.

"Let us just accept that sex work is there. We are not even free as service providers to give them the necessary assistance. We have to trace them in their hiding places and we should be very tactful when dealing with them." Last year's commemorations accorded Selebi-Phikwe, as a district, an opportunity to echo its voice across the communities to challenge more and more people to join the fight against the disease.

The town's opportunity was enhanced by its high prevalence rate of about 23 percent.The 2000 Sentinel Survey indicates a prevalence rate of 49 percent among pregnant women, from an increase of 41.1 percent in 2006. Commemorations of the day here will be held on December 15 and are being spearheaded by the Ward Development Multi Sectoral AIDS Committee.