“That comes from your strong commitment to Health for All in 2021, WHO certified Botswana for reaching the silver tier on the path to eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, and in 2022 Botswana reached the 95-95-95 targets for testing, treatment and viral suppression of HIV, one of only five countries to do so,” he said at the on-going 73rd session of the WHO Regional Committee for Africa (RC73) in Gaborone this week.
In the fight against cervical cancer, Ghebreyesus explained that Botswana was among the first countries in the region to introduce the HPV vaccine. He added that it was also one of the few countries to have high vaccination coverage for COVID-19.
He further pointed out that Botswana and South Africa were also the first countries to detect the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2 and to warn the world, even though some countries responded by imposing unjustified travel bans. Moreover, he explained that in May this year, he declared an end to both COVID-19 and mpox as public health emergencies of international concern. He said although neither represented a global health emergency, both continue to represent a threat to health.
He added that he recently issued standing recommendations to support countries to manage both diseases in the long-term. He urged member states to implement those recommendations, to strengthen surveillance, sequencing and reporting so they could assess the risk of new variants of Omicron variant SARS-CoV-2. For her part, WHO Regional Director for Africa Dr Matshediso Moeti said Botswana registered important progress towards the national vision of “A Healthy Nation by 2023”. She explained that the mother-to-child HIV transmission had been reduced to less than five percent being the first high-burden country in the world to achieve that milestone.
“HIV transmission rates have fallen from 40% of the sexually active age group in 1999, to below one percent this year. What an achievement for a nation that once had the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world. I am extremely gratified by the progress registered over the years. I commend President Mokgweetsi Masisi for his personal commitment to strengthening the health sector’s contribution to the national economy by investing in science, research, innovation, and public-private partnerships, within his Reset Agenda,” she said.
Addressing delegates from different African countries, President Masisi said some of their recent successes included the certification through a silver tier award for Botswana on eliminating mother-to-child transmission of HIV by the World Health Organisation. He also highlighted that Botswana achieved and has bypassed the UNAIDS 95‐95‐95 targets to help end the HIV epidemic by 2030 saying in Botswana 95.1% of adults (15‐64 years) living with HIV are aware of their HIV status; 98% are on ART care and 97.9% are virally suppressed.
