April 21, 2008

HIV/AIDS Awareness Needed for People With Disabilities in Botswana

Disabled people in Botswana have largely been left out of discussions about HIV/AIDS, Botswana news site Mmegi Online reports (mmegi.bw, 4/17).

At a recent workshop organized by the Botswana National Youth Council, activists said that though HIV/AIDS rates are declining in some parts of the country, people living with disabilities are not being reached with AIDS awareness messages.

One woman, Shirely Keoagile, an advocate for people with disabilities, said Botswana’s response to the AIDS epidemic did not include the disabled.

“We cannot make significant progress on national AIDS statistics unless government and community efforts better respond to the needs of people with disabilities,” she said, calling for a national strategy to address the needs of disabled people in major HIV/AIDS and gender-violence programs.

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Orbit Clanton Executive Deputy Director, New York, 2008-04-22 13:17:11
Orbit Clanton Executive Deputy Director of Perceptions for People with Disabilities. Problems of individuals living with HIV and disabilities is not just unique to Botswana. In the United States, people living with HIV and who are differently abled face these same challenges. I am calling on the federal, state, and local governments to start HIV surveillances and epidemiological data collection. In addition to funding organizations that are attempting to serve this emerging population.