Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2000. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.

Reuters NewMedia - Monday December 11, 2000
Elaine Monaghan

Mayoress Molefi-Mochanga made her announcement before a small group of pregnant women, their friends, Health Minister Joy Phumaphi and Albright's party at a mother-to-child transmission clinic in the capital Gaborone.

Close to tears, she said she could not understand why some of the pregnant women present were afraid to be tested. "I am living a happier life, working and still a musician," she said.

Her son was spared the virus thanks to a program similar to that conducted at the Old Naledi clinic, where women are tested for HIV and treated to avoid passing it to their babies.

A U.S. program launched in January helped Botswana boost its health infrastructure to stop babies getting the virus, train counsellors and develop educational videos.

After the traditional singer spoke, first Phumaphi, Albright and then Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Susan Rice embraced her warmly. Albright said she found the singer's comment "very inspiring" and that she hoped others had listened.

"We are all the same and we have all had tests for various things," she said.

"And I can tell you, it doesn't matter what test you have, you always are very nervous."

But in the end, no matter what the results, there was "a certain calmness" when the results came in, Albright added.

Molefi-Mochanga provided the backing music to an educational video which Albright and the women watched. It tries to convince pregnant women to be tested for HIV, estimated to affect a third of people in this southern African state between the ages of 15 and 49.

AIDS deaths annually among a population of 1.6 million run at about 62,000, with about 8,700 babies born HIV positive, the health minister said in remarks outside the center.

She thanked Albright for 200 "cubicles" where pregnant women will be advised and tested to check their status.

War Against Aids

"We are all soldiers in this war against HIV-AIDS. We have pledged our allegiance to this battle and we have also pledged our commitment to win this war," Phumaphi said.

In 1998, 200,000 Africans died in war but more than two million died of AIDS, according to a United Nations report.

The biggest battle Botswana and other African countries face -- including South Africa, where AIDS was a major theme of Albright's visit there last week -- is changing social attitudes to sex including such myths held by some men that intercourse with a virgin can rid you of the virus.

Other problems include a low incidence of condom use, and according to many AIDS experts, sexual habits in general.

One independent AIDS analyst says data shows HIV was spread in a different way in Africa because young women were often infected by men considerably older than themselves.

"Often, they will go on to infect the men they eventually marry, who will complete the cycle by having affairs with younger women," the consultant said. Violence against women is another problem linked to the spread of the virus on the continent, experts say.

Albright departed from the text of a speech at the end of her visit to the clinic to express her personal reaction.

"As a mother and a grandmother, I must say I feel a special love and friendship with all of you because I can understand how difficult this all is," she said. "My heart goes out to you. I admire you all and I am so glad that in some small way, the United States is able to help all of you."

A recent U.N. report said the United States spent about $52 billion a year coping with the medical consequences of obesity -- more than 15 times what would have to be spent on programs that would change the face of HIV/AIDS in Africa.

The United States expects to spend $460 million on international assistance to HIV/AIDS programs in 2001. without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.
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