the monitor

Young women need us, all of us!

The recent revelation by the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA) regarding the escalating HIV infections amongst adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Botswana demands urgent attention from authorities, parents, the general populace, and particularly, the young women themselves.

The statistics presented by NAHPA's national coordinator, Ontiretse Letlhare, during a Gala Dinner in honour of First Lady Neo Masisi, emphasise an upsetting reality. AGYW, constituting only nine percent of Botswana’s population, bears the burden of approximately 24% of new HIV infections.

This discrepancy raises red flags and necessitates a concerted effort to tackle the trend. It is troubling that despite Botswana surpassing global UNAIDS targets, the AGYW category lags below the national average in terms of HIV testing and viral suppression.

Editor's Comment
Let's show compassion to baby Asli

Her story is heartbreaking not only because she is fighting for her life at such a tender age, but because her parents have spent months navigating a medical journey filled with uncertainty, delays, and rising fear.What began as something that seemed as simple as jaundice has escalated into a life-threatening condition that now requires an urgent liver transplant.For Asli’s parents, the reality is devastating. They are not asking for luxuries...

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