02/12/2025
Botswana Stands United: Overcoming Disruptions in the Fight Against HIV on World AIDS Day
By Mpho Keoepile
Yesterday Kanye pulsed with solemn remembrance and determination yesterday, as hundreds gathered to mark World AIDS Day. The annual global observance, held on December 1, drew the nation’s gaze to this historic Bangwaketse heartland, where Health Minister Dr. Stephen Modise delivered a stark message: the battle against HIV is far from over, but Botswana’s resilience offers a blueprint for transformation.
The commemoration, hosted Kgotlakgolo ya ga Ngwaketse embodied this year’s theme: “Overcoming Disruption, Transforming the AIDS Response.” It was a clarion call amid global funding shortfalls that have rattled HIV programs worldwide, including in Botswana, where donor uncertainties have strained prevention and treatment services.
Dr. Modise, flanked by local dignitaries and representatives of the Kanye chieftaincy, cut straight to the heart of the crisis. “Alcohol and substance abuse have been identified as major drivers of new HIV infections in Botswana, particularly among young people,” he declared, his voice steady but urgent.
He painted a vivid picture of urbanisation’s double edge: while it brings opportunity, it also fuels risky behaviors – excessive drinking, to***co use, poor diets, and sedentary lifestyles – that heighten vulnerability not only to HIV but also to a cascade of non-communicable diseases.
The minister did not shy away from the numbers. An estimated 4,120 Batswana contracted HIV last year alone, a sobering reminder that progress, though monumental, remains fragile. Yet Botswana’s triumphs are undeniable: the country has surpassed UNAIDS’ 95-95-95 targets seven years ahead of schedule, with 95% of people living with HIV aware of their status, 95% of those diagnosed on treatment, and 95% of treated individuals virally suppressed.
“This is a beacon of hope,” Modise said, crediting partnerships such as PEPFAR, which has invested more than $1 billion since 2003, and the Global Fund’s $88 million contribution. But hope, he cautioned, demands innovation. With international donors wavering, Modise urged a coalition of government, civil society, faith groups, private sector players, and communities to pioneer new funding streams. “This should be the time to innovate new strategies of resource mobilization,” he implored, envisioning a self-sustaining model that shields Botswana from external shocks.
In a nod to local needs, Dr. Modise announced progress on Kanye’s long-awaited district hospital, to be built through a public-private partnership despite economic headwinds. The facility promises improved access to antiretroviral therapy and screening for the village’s growing population.
Nationally, Botswana’s HIV Prevention Sustainability Roadmap charts the path ahead, prioritizing youth, gender equity, and domestic funding. The Minister emphasized that the roadmap must be anchored in innovation, resilience, and collective responsibility to ensure sustainability beyond donor cycles.
As dusk fell on Kanye, the crowd dispersed with red ribbons pinned to their chests – symbols of lives remembered and futures reclaimed. World AIDS Day 2025 was not merely an event; it was a reckoning. Disruptions from funding cuts and social upheavals threaten to unwind decades of gains, but Botswana’s response, as articulated by Dr. Modise, is clear: innovate, unite, persist.
Ending AIDS by 2030 demands nothing less. In Kanye, that promise feels within reach.
