MP specifies opportunity cost of AIDS programmes

THATO CHWAANE
Staff Writer | Thursday March 15, 2007 00:00

The MP was speaking to Gaborone City Council (GCC) employees during HIV/AIDS awareness and voluntary counselling and testing day at Tsholofelo Hall yesterday.   He urged the employees to know their status and live well to avoid getting into the Anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment. He said that currently Botswana is lucky that it has diamonds to finance its programmes.  He asked what would happen if buyers stopped buying the diamonds and government is unable to give ARVs for free. He said many would lose their lives. He added that the HIV/AIDS awareness and voluntary counselling and testing day is meant for employees to reflect on fighting the disease and reducing its spread.   He said for the employees  to provide essential services to the community, it is important that they are healthy. Molefhi noted that the health services are burdened and there are areas in which ARVs are still unavailable. He said those with disabilities are still left behind on information dissemination.   He urged people to know their status to protect those they live with and desist from stigmatising others because of weight loss or change in skin. He said the spread of HIV is due to weakness on the part of people who have information. 

 He said in every pregnancy, a man is involved and hence if he has the power he would force males to come  with their partners during visits to hospital. 'If I could, all the partners of pregnant women going to the clinic would come along,' he said. He added that men should be the first to go for testing.