Associated Press - Monday December 11, 2000
Ravi Nessman, Associated Press Writer

Mayoress Molefi-Mochangana told Albright and a small group of women meeting inside a prenatal clinic in the poor neighborhood of Old Naledi that a recent HIV test showed she was infected. She urged other women to find out whether they have the deadly virus.

"I'm living a happier life, and working and still a musician," the traditional singer said.

In a later speech, Albright praised Molefi-Mochangana's bravery in confronting the stigma against the disease.

"She is a wonderful example of what we can accomplish when we confront life's most daunting challenges with courage," she said.

There are few challenges more daunting than AIDS in Botswana, estimated to be the worst infected country in the world.

According to government figures, 29 percent of adults here have HIV. The United Nations estimates that more than one-third of adults are infected.

Of the 62,000 babies born every year, 8,700 are infected with the disease, Health Minister Joy Phumaphi said.

The government provides a rigorous course of AZT for HIV-infected pregnant women to prevent them from transmitting the virus to their babies during childbirth. It also gives them baby formula to protect the child from the mother's infected breast milk.

But in the country's small villages, women seen with formula are immediately suspected of being infected and summarily ostracized. The stigma against HIV is so overwhelming that many pregnant women are simply too frightened to take advantage of the government programs.

"The rate of mother-to-child transmission in Botswana continues to grow, particularly in rural areas, where women are not able to benefit as much from public education," Phumaphi said at a ceremony outside the maternity clinic, one of the busiest in the country.

Albright announced a U.S. government donation of 200 trailers to be used as HIV counseling centers across this vast, sparsely populated country.

"The older clinics were built before HIV/AIDS, so they don't have enough space," said Thomas Kenyon, director of BOTUSA, a partnership between Botswana and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

The donation includes 200 televisions and video recorders to play a newly unveiled video to teach pregnant woman how to prevent transmitting the virus to their children.

"As a mother and a grandmother, I must say I feel a special love and a friendship with all of you, because I can understand how difficult this all is," Albright said outside the clinic. "There is nothing more personal than having a child and nothing that provides you more pleasure and love, and yet you have to go through what is clearly a very difficult and important moment in deciding to be tested in order to save the life of that child and learn something about yourself."

Inside the clinic, Albright sat with a group of women beneath posters urging testing.

"Make a new start today. Know your status," one poster read.

A counselor named tried to coax a group of pregnant women to take an HIV test.

But many of the women said they feared having to tell their families they were infected.

Albright's visit to Africa is part of what could be her last big trip as secretary of state. In her visits to South Africa, Mauritius and Botswana, she has worked to highlight three African democracies with strong economies. But she has also cast attention to the devastating AIDS pandemic raging across the continent.

Albright later presented $1.6 million to the University of Botswana to support projects in environmental science, women in science and other areas. She is scheduled to fly Tuesday to Algeria to witness the signing of a peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea. She then plans to travel to Europe.
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