In an effort to address the issue of cervical cancer among the HIV positive women,
the Government is implementing a five Year Comprehensive Cervical Cancer
Prevention and Control Strategy (2012-2016). This strategy introduces screening
and outpatient treatment of cervical pre-cancer in one single visit, commonly
referred to as “See and Treat”.
The Strategy and Programme of Action for Male Involvement in Sexual
Reproductive Health and Rights (2007 – 2012) was developed to support
institutions and programmes in initiatives aimed at reducing the spread of sexually
transmitted diseases – particularly HIV and AIDS – and combating gender based
violence. With these programmes, the country can better respond to the gender
dynamics of the HIV and AIDS epidemic, sexual and reproductive health issues,
and gender violence.
HIV and AIDS prevalence amongst children in the country is high. Fifty eight
percent (58%) of deaths among the under-fives is attributable to HIV and AIDS and
the remaining 42% percent are attributable to preventable causes such as,
pneumonia (26.2%), ill-defined conditions (18%), and other conditions (12%), AIDS
(9%).
One of the important treatment interventions Botswana has undertaken, includes
the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) and the provision of
anti-retroviral therapy (ART) to all citizens who need it, through the public health
system. PMTCT services are integrated into routine maternal-child health care in
all public facilities, and citizen women identified as HIV-positive during
pregnancy are referred to the national ART programme for ARV evaluation and
treatment.
Botswana has, through World Health Organisation (WHO) support, adapted the
WHO Medical Eligibility Criteria Wheel (MEC) which provides guidance to
health care workers in ensuring safety while initiating contraceptives as well as
increasing access to family planning services. In order to improve access to
contraception, Family Planning IEC Toolkit was designed, printed and
dissemination is on-going which focuses on strengthening SRH and HIV linkages
within various facility units especially IDCC, maternity and gynaecology.
HIV and AIDS Policies And Programmes
The Botswana National Strategic Framework (NSF) for HIV and AIDS 2003-2009
and for 2010-2016 was developed, with the central aim of ensuring and driving a
multi-sectoral and multi-level national response to the spread of HIV/AIDS. The
NSF articulates, disseminates and educates the public at large on the agreed
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