Woman sues govt over false HIV result

According to, the Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS, (BONELA) which is representing Sekgabetlela, the wrong test results nearly wrecked their client's marriage as her husband had perceived the positive HIV diagnosis to mean that she had been having extra-marital relations. In 2003 Sekgabetlela took an HIV test at an antenatal clinic to determine if she needed to be on the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme. Her results were misplaced.

"She was retested, together with her husband and she tested HIV positive, whilst her husband tested negative. She requested a retest and was told: "Do you think you are too smart not to get HIV?" After trying on numerous occasions she gave up and enrolled on PMTCT. Two years later she was retested as a prerequisite for a Netefatso Study for discordant couples. She tested HIV negative. Subsequent tests have consistently confirmed she is HIV negative," said Doris Kumbawa, BONELA media and advocacy officer.