News Release: Botswana Government Ordered to Provide HIV Treatment to...
Gaborone, 18 March – In another important legal victory for human rights in Botswana, the High Court in Gaborone yesterday ordered the government to provide HIV treatment to all non-citizen prisoners. Prior to the court order, the government supplied non-citizen prisoners with treatment for opportunistic infections but not for HIV – leading to a significant deterioration in their health. Non-citizen prisoners were expected to pay for HIV treatment themselves. “The order is a significant victory for the rights of people living with HIV in Botswana since it makes it clear that all prisoners are entitled to free HIV treatment regardless of origin,” said Cindy Kelemi, the Executive Director of Botswana Network of Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA), which sued the government to secure treatment along with two foreign prisoners living with HIV.