National Strategic Framework
Status
New Plan, National Strategic Framework 2003-2009 in place.

• 1993 HIV/AIDS policy established roles of Ministry of Health and other departments. The policy was revised in 1998 to incorporate the multisectoral approach to HIV/AIDS.
• HIV/AIDS policies in the military and workplace.
• National Antiretroviral Therapy Programme.

Ministry of Health:
AIDS/STI Unit
Contact person: E. Koko
Private Bag 00451
Tel: +267 391 2492 / +267 397 4104
Email: /
Website: www.gov.bw

National AIDS Coordinating Agency
Dr A.B Khan
Private Bag 00463, Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: +267 390 3188
Fax: +267 371 0312
Email:
Website: www.gov.bw

HIV/AIDS Organisations:

1. African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnership (ACHAP)
   Contact person: Mr Brad Ryder
   Private Bag X033, Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 393 3842
   Fax: +267 393 3507
   Email:
   CC: (Communications Officer)
   Website: www.achap.org
   · A collaborative effort between the government, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and The Merck Company Foundation/Merck & Co., Inc., to prevent and treat HIV/AIDS in Botswana.

2. Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership
   Contact person: Ms Ria Madison - Project Administrator
   Private Bag BO 320, Bontleng
   Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 390 2671
   Fax: +297 390 1284
   Email: /
   CC: Michelle (Communications Officer)
   Email:
   Website: www.bhp.org.bw
   · HIV research and education; training; reference laboratory; clinical studies.

3. Botswana Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS (BONEPWA)
   Contact person: Mr David Ngele - National Coordinator
   P.O. Box 1599, Mogoditshane, Botswana
   Tel: +267 390 6224
   Fax: +267 390 6224
   Email:
   Website: www.bonepwa.botsnet.co.bw
   · Advocacy/lobbing; networking; capacity building of support groups and members for sustainable development and income generation; care; support and prevention activities; treatment information.

4. Botswana Networks of AIDS Service Organisations (BONASO)
   Contact person: Mr Daniel Motsatsing
   P.O. Box 3219, Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 390 8490 / +267 317 0582
   Mobile: +267 716 00 194
   Fax: +267 390 8436
   Email:
   Website: www.sanaso.org.zw
   · National network facilitating research; information exchange; access to resources; policy influence and advocacy; capacity building and providing technical assistance to its members, thus enhancing their capacities to mitigate the spread of HIV.

5. Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Programme (BOCAIP)
   Contact Person: Jane Munene - Communications Officer
   P.O. Box 601963,
   Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 395 7693
   Fax: +267 391 6454
   Email: /
   Website: www.achap.org
   · To increase capacity for HIV/AIDS counselling and testing throughout the country.

6. Botswana Red Cross Society
   Contact person: Tshegofabo Phaphe - AIDS Programme Coordinator
   P.O. Box 485,
   Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 395 2465
   Fax: +267 391 2352
   Email:
   · Support; advice; training on HIV/AIDS mitigation, prevention, care and support.

7. Community Solutions Association (COMSO)
   Contact person: Koketso Rantona
   Plot 425, Mokgosi Close
   Extension 4
   Gaborone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 351 660
   Fax: +267 351 660
   · Prevention; care; support; sexual and reproductive health education.

8. Coping Centre for People Living with HIV/AIDS (COCEPWA)
   Contact person: Helen Ditsebe-Mohone / Regina Lesole
   P.O. Box 50349, Gabarone, Botswana
   Tel: +267 393 7159 / +267 598 4158
   Fax: +267 393 7159
   Email: /
   Website: www.cocepwa.co.bw
   · Provides community-based social support for people living with HIV/AIDS, mobilising them to become more involved in prevention and care initiatives and helping to destigmatise the disease.

9. Metlhaetsile Women's Information Centre
   Contact person: Monica Tabengwa
   Private Bag 42
   Mochudi, Botswana
   Tel: +267 397 7618/239
   Fax: +267 397 7195
   Email:
   · Advocacy/rights; counselling; resource centre; legal aid; education.

10. MASA - The National Antiretroviral Therapy Programme of Botswana
    Contact person: Mrs T.S Mphele - IEC Specialist.
    Private Bag 0038, Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 393 4380
    Fax: +267 393 4381
    Email:
    Website: www.gov.bw
    · Botswana has become the first African country to provide free antiretroviral therapy to its citizens on a national scale through the public health service.

11. Pan African Christian HIV/AIDS Network (PACANet)
    Suite 261, Postnet Main Mall
    Private Bag 00149
    Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 395 7691 / +267 395 7693
    Fax: +267 395 7693
    Email: /
    Website: www.pacanet.org
    · Links churches, Christian organisations, and Christian networks to enhance their HIV/AIDS responses by sharing resources, ideas, skills, experiences, and stimulating strategic partnerships.

12. Population Services International (PSI)
    Contact Person: Ludo Letebele
    Private Bag 00465
    Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 318 5029
    Fax: +267 392 3892
    Email: /
    · PSI uses social marketing to deliver health products, services and information that enables low-income and other vulnerable people to lead healthier lives.

13. Tebelopele Voluntary Testing and Counselling Centre
    Contact person: Ronald Molosiwa
    P.O. Box 90, Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 391 4023
    Fax: +267 570 487
    Email:
    · Provides voluntary counselling and testing services.

14. Health Promotion International
    Contact person: Michelle Schaan - Managing Director
    Plot 1836/005 Hospital Way
    P.O. Box 26372
    Game City, Gaborone
    Botswana
    Tel: +267 390 8180
    Mobile: +267 7219 8036
    Email:

15. UN Theme Group on HIV/AIDS, Chair
    Contact person: Mr Gordon Jonathan Lewis
    UNICEF Representative
    P.O. Box 20678, Khama Crescent
    Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 395 1909 / +267 395 2752
    Fax: +267 395 1233
    Mobile: +267 713 00 713
    Email:
    Website: www.unicef.org
    · Supports an expanded response and policy advice on preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS.

16. UNAIDS Country Programme Adviser
    Contact person: Dr. Kwame Ampomah
    UNAIDS
    P.O. Box 54, Khama Crescent
    Gaborone, Botswana
    Tel: +267 395 2121
    Fax: +267 393 1243
    Mobile: +267 721 2124
    Email:
    Website: www.unaids.org
    · UNAIDS, leads, strengthens and supports an expanded response aimed at preventing transmission of HIV, providing care and support, reducing the vulnerability of individuals and communities to HIV/AIDS.

For consistency reasons the data used in the above table are taken from official UN publications

For consistency reasons the data used in the above table are taken from official UN publications

Source: WHO/UNAIDS epidemiological fact sheets on HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections, 2004 Update.
Email:

Assessment of the epidemiological situation (2004)

HIV sentinel surveillance among ANC attendees began in Botswana in 1990. Initially, surveys were conducted annually in Gabarone and Francistown and biannually at other sites.
In 2000, the surveillance protocol was revised so as to conduct sentinel surveillance among women attending antenatal care clinics once a year and include at least one antenatal care clinic from each of the 22 health districts.
In 2002, the median HIV prevalence in women attending antenatal care clinics for all 22 districts was very high (35.4%). There was little difference between the major urban areas (the capital city Gaborone, Francistown and Selebi/Phikwe), other urban areas and the 12 rural districts. Only one district, Ganzi in the Kalahari, had a HIV prevalence of <25% (18.8%), while prevalence was highest in Selebi/Phikwe, where nearly half of all pregnant women were infected (48.1%).

HIV prevalence has been >30% at most antenatal care clinics since the mid 1990s. Comparison of prevalence in the 22 districts between 2001 and 2002 shows that there was a decrease in 13 districts, an increase in eight districts and no change in one district. HIV infection trends in Gaborone and Francistown are illustrated in Figure 3. During the past five years, HIV prevalence levels have remained at around 40%.

HIV prevalence among ANC attendees in Botswana increased rapidly from 18.1% in 1992 to 32.4% in 1995, 38.5% in 2000 and 36.3% in 2001.
In Gabarone, HIV prevalence increased from 14.9% in 1992 to 39.1% in 2001 while in Francistown the increase was from 23.7% in 1992 to 44.9% in 2001. In Selebi-Phikwe, HIV prevalence doubled from 27% in 1994 to 55.6% in 2001.