Foreign truck drivers and sex workers get ARVs
Nnasaretha Kgamanyane | Thursday August 10, 2017 16:15
She said this when receiving the HIV/AIDS Cross Border Initiative (CBI) wellness clinic at the ministry headquarters this week.
“The government would like to thank the SADC secretariat for coming up with the initiative of establishing CBI wellness centres, which is a good strategy in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We will ensure sustainability and continue operations of the wellness clinic to ensure that it operates within the framework of the National Health System so that it does not become a white elephant,” she said.
The Kazungula CBI wellness clinic was donated to the ministry by the SADC secretariat with the assistance of the Global Fund which contributed US$45million to implement the project in 2009. The grant was to be implemented in two phases over a five-year period.
“The project targets long distance truck drivers, sex workers and communities living adjacent to borders. The initiative consists of essential interventions including STI diagnosis and treatment, HIV counseling and testing, behaviour change communication, post exposure prophylaxis and condom distribution,” she said.
El Halabi pointed out that from 2011, the SADC secretariat facilitated the implementation in member states and that they will be handed over to member states.
She said the Kazungula wellness centre project has provided services to the Chobe District and relieved congestion at government facilities.
“This facility has covered 33,500 clients. It has helped 20,900 community members along the borders, 10,700 long distance truck drivers and 1,900 sex workers. The facility tests 50 to 100 clients per month, more than government facilities. More long distance truck drivers access counselling and testing services more than before, and they have been tested and treated for STIs,” she said.
However, they were facing challenges such as refilling ARV drugs especially for foreigners and truck drivers. She added that it was hard for sex workers to disclose their work because sex work is illegal in Botswana.
El Halabi also pointed out that temporary suspension of services due to delay in disbursement of funds between SADC and its sub recipients between June and August had some negative impact on service delivery because some beneficiaries preferred to access services in private.
The SADC acting director of social development, Lomthandazo Mavimbela handed over the facility.