“The Society Keeps Aids Message Alive”

In keeping with its commitment to the message “Stop Aids Keep the Promise”, the Society ensured that a record number of its employees participated in the traditional march to mark World Aids Day on 1 December 2006,. Although the Society participation was led by the Staff Health and Wellness Committee, an unusually large number of other members of staff took part this year. This high level of enthusiasm was motivated by a greater involvement of staff through the issuance of T-shirts carrying this year’s theme to all staff.

The day’s activities started with the traditional march at 6.00 a.m. from Buyani shopping centre in Ledumang to the Gaborone Secondary School sports grounds.

The sports grounds were the centre of the commemoration for the day.

Delivering the keynote speech at the commemorations, Mr Anthony Woods, the Regional Environmental Officer in the American Embassy said that the latest studies have found that the HIV prevalence rates among pregnant women in Botswana had declined from 37% to 33% in 2005. He further stated that the prevalence among young women between the ages of 15 and 24 had fallen to the lowest levels in a decade.

However, he stated that it may be too early to say whether this was an actual trend and that the true picture would only be revealed after another surveillance report is conducted.

The Society itself will be joining in the national effort to encourage high levels of voluntary HIV testing through the dissemination of information the benefits of knowing their status to staff. A programme is also in the offing to ensure that staff who test positively to the virus are linked to the various Government programmes such as PMTCT and MASA. Complementing the Government programme will be HIV benefit under the staff medical aid scheme.

In the meantime, employees are all encouraged to don their T-shirts with the message, “Stop Aids Keep the Promise” every Friday for the whole of the month of December 2006, to keep the message alive. Staff has each been issued with free condoms and a bangle with an international Aids help line, 0800 – 012 – 322 engraved on it.