HIV Infections Rise As Condom Use Drops
Pini Bothoko | Monday June 14, 2021 17:16
Addressing the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) last week, the National AIDS and Health Promotions Agency’s (NAHPA) acting coordinator, Robert Selato revealed that 33% of new infections are connected to the youth, who likely contracted the virus during the COVID-19-induced lockdown of 2020.
“We have established that condom use was very low during the lockdown period, something attributed to the rise in the HIV/AIDS new infections. It is evident that accessibility to condoms was minimal,” he said, adding that he observed in April and May 2020 that many young people engaged in unprotected sex.
Selato revealed that the distribution of condoms was also affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, an effect they note contributed to the rise in the new infections amongst the youth.
“Yes, we admit that the COVID-19 pandemic affected how we have been distributing condoms, but we have since established the misuse of condoms by some individuals. Some people take more than enough and do not use them until they expire, whereas there could have been others that might have needed them most,” Selato said.
When PAC members asked if there is any correlation between COVID-19 and HIV/AIDS, whether people living with the virus were at more risk to COVID-19 compared to HIV negative individuals, Selato said there was no science to support the vulnerability theories. He said what has been established so far is that people with underlying conditions are more vulnerable and more at risk of succumbing to COVID-19.
“There is no proof that an HIV positive person is more vulnerable to COVID-19, but it is evident that people with underlying conditions such as sugar diabetes, cancer, TB, high blood pressure to mention but a new are mostly at risk of being infected with COVID-19 to a point of losing their lives,” he said.
Selato added TB has been established as the core mobility of HIV/AIDS and such patients are most vulnerable to COVID-19. However, on HIV/AIDS, Selato said the country made strides suppressing the viral load in HIV positive individuals, some of who have gone to a point of testing negative.
PAC member and Member of Parliament for Francistown East, Wynter Mmolotsi asked what NAHPA was doing to help curb the spread of the HIV amongst youths that may interact with those born with the virus.
“Do you have strategies in place to manage youths born HIV positive? This is also the age group that is currently sexually active and we do not know if they use protection or not. How are you ensuring they are not part of these new infections?” Mmolotsi asked.
Responding to Mmolotsi, Selato said services are provided to young people born HIV positive stating that they have support groups run by Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA).