Madikwe Forum Returns from Gates Foundation, Seattle, Washington
Members of the Madikwe Forum, the main governance structure of the African Comprehensive HIV/AIDS Partnerships (ACHAP) with the Government of Botswana just returned from a one week visit in Seattle, United States of America hosted by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation one of the two funders of the partnership, the other one being the Merck & Co Inc/Merck Company Foundation. The Forum gives policy guidance to the partnership and addresses implementation issues which may arise when working with an entity as large and complex as government. The membership comprises the ACHAP Board of Directors, the ACHAP Managing Director, the administrative heads of the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) and six government Ministries that have important roles in the national HIV/AIDS response namely; Ministries of Health, Local Government, Education, Office of the President, Finance and Development Planning, and Labour and Home Affairs. The meeting provided the members with an opportunity to meet with senior Global Health Program staff and the Senior Executives of the Gates Foundation to fully appreciate the work that ACHAP is doing in Botswana. The senior staff of the Gates Foundation included Mr William H. Gates Sr, Co-Chairman of the Foundation and Dr Tadataka Yamada President of the Global Health Program. The meeting also allowed them to share Botswana’s perspectives on the contribution that the partnership between the Government and the Bill & Melinda Gates and Merck Company Foundations has made in the fight against HIV/AIDS in Botswana.
The Madikwe Forum members were welcomed by Mr Bill Gates Sr, who expressed his deep appreciation and gratitude to the Government of Botswana for the partnership and for enabling the Madikwe Forum members to hold discussions and share on strategic issues. During a presentation to the Global Health staff on Botswana‘s response to HIV/AIDS and the support that ACHAP has provided members of the Madikwe Forum emphasized that the success of the partnership over the past six years is a result of a collaborative and consultative spirit. They also highlighted key contributions by ACHAP to Botswana’s national response such as the support to the National AIDS Coordination Agency in the development and implementation of the National Strategic Framework, the support for the establishment and the roll out of the ARV treatment services now accessible in all parts of Botswana, with over 80 000 people receiving treatment. The partnership has helped in mobilizing communities and improving access to HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention services. Through these achievements the partnership has demonstrated that public private partnerships can make a lasting and sustainable contribution to public health and societal problems.
Other donor agencies such as the Global Fund, The President’s Emergency Fund for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), Bristol Myers Squibb pharmaceutical company, the Clinton Initiative, the European Union (EU), the UN Family and other development partners have also contributed to Botswana’s national response to HIV/AIDS. However the Government of Botswana remains the major funder meeting 80% of the cost of the response estimated at about P 1 billion for the 2005/6 financial year.
Forum members acknowledged that despite the successes that have been achieved there are challenges and obstacles that the country faces such as lack of material resources to fully address HIV/AIDS. Another challenge is human resources and the availability of key technical competencies critical to expand or roll out treatment to new and existing treatment sites. Stigma and discrimination to test and know one’s status and access to post test services also remain challenges.
While in Seattle, the Madikwe Forum members visited various sites offering HIV/AIDS related services in the areas of treatment and prevention.
Government of Botswana representatives present in Seattle included the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Mr Serwalo Tumelo who is also the Co-Chairperson of the Madikwe Forum, Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President Mr Modise Modise, NACA Coordinator, Mr Batho Chris Molomo, Deputy Permanent Secretary Health Services, Ministry of Health, Dr Loeto Mazhani, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Local Government Mr Gabaake Gabaake, Deputy Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education, Mr Archibald Makgothi and the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Mothusi Palai.
