BOTSWANA: Civil servants targeted in VCT drive

At least 20 percent of civil servants in Botswana are being targeted for voluntary HIV counselling and testing, said Mmaoneka Makati, assistant director of the Directorate of Public Service Management.

The campaign, in response to President Festus Mogae's call for all Batswana to know their status, would begin with a walk on 2 September and run for a month, said The Reporter, a local newspaper, on Thursday.

Botswana introduced a policy of routine HIV testing at government health centres in 2004 to ensure that people knew their status and could access antiretroviral treatment if necessary. The country has a prevalence rate of 24.1 amoung adults aged 15 to 49, according to UNAIDS.

Theme (s): Care/Treatment - PlusNews,

[This report does not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations]