Botswana

In partnership with the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, UNICEF has supported the governments of Botswana and Lesotho to implement targeted programmes for adolescent girls and young women. In Lesotho, a national multi-sectoral referral framework is strengthening community-facility linkages and is catalyzing increased access to HIV/SRH services by guiding adolescent and young people to appropriate services and care. In Botswana, a radio drama series together with peer education components is tackling tough issues adolescents are facing in love, life and relationships. Documentation of both experiences are available for download.

Adolescent and young mothers are a priority population for UNICEF in Eastern and Southern Africa, including those who are affected by HIV. In this region, one in four women aged 20-24 years gives birth before the age of 18 years and 30 per cent of all new HIV infections occur among adolescent girls and young women aged 15-24 years. Studies increasingly show poorer maternal, child and HIV outcomes for this age group as compared to older women. Together with governments and partners, UNICEF has been working to promote differentiated, evidence-based approaches to meet the complex needs of adolescent and young mothers in several countries across the region.

This newly released report describes these efforts in nine countries, highlighting the results achieved and the learning. Key insights include the importance of responsive service delivery and social support as well as working across sectors. Also offered are ways in which policy makers, researchers, programme managers and implementers can strengthen HIV and health services for adolescent and young mothers and their children.

The information contained within this handbook is a condensed version of the full 2016 HIV Integrated Clinical Care Guidelines and reflects the latest scientific updates on HIV care from around the world. As we launch the ‘Treat All’ Strategy, let us appreciate how far we have come in the struggle against HIV in Botswana. When we first started the ART Programme in 2002, no one dreamt that today we would be poised to become one of the few countries in the world to achieve the UNAIDS 90-90-90 targets. No one could have ever imagined that by 2016 Botswana would ben near to virtually eliminating Mother-to-Child transmission and have rolled-out ART services to all hospitals and over 600 clinics – but we did it. Now with the New HIV “Treat All” Strategy, we have the opportunity to finally gain epidemiologic control of HIV after over 16 years of relentless efforts. What better way to pay our respects to the thousands of Batswana who have lost their lives to HIV.