AMA 2K NOT TESTING FOR HIV

 

Young people born after 2000 are emerging as Botswana’s biggest blind spot in the fight against HIV, with new data showing that more than half of adolescents have never tested for the virus.

A report released by Statistics Botswana and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) reveals that while HIV testing among young adults is relatively high, it drops sharply among adolescents aged 15–19.

According to the findings, 46.4 per cent of adolescents in this age group have never tested for HIV, compared to nearly 89 per cent of young adults aged 20–24.

Overall, HIV testing among youth aged 15–35 stands at 82.6 per cent, but falls to 67.5 per cent among those aged 15–24. Experts warn that this adolescent testing gap could undermine decades of progress in the national HIV response.

The report identifies fear of disclosure, lack of adolescent-friendly services, and parental consent requirements as key barriers to testing.

Regional comparisons show Botswana’s adolescent testing rates are higher than the average in Eastern and Southern Africa, but the gap between adolescents and young adults remains a concern.

Testing rates also vary across districts. Jwaneng and Ghanzi recorded some of the lowest youth testing levels, while Kweneng West and Selibe Phikwe performed better, pointing to uneven access to services. Gender differences were noted, with young women slightly more likely to test than young men.

Rates of testing increase with age, education, and marital status, suggesting that many young people only seek testing once they are older or partnered. Interestingly, youth not in Employment, Education or Training (NEET) were more likely to have tested than those in school or working, with nearly nine out of ten NEET youth reporting HIV tests. This trend is attributed to targeted outreach programmes focusing on vulnerable and unemployed groups.

Beyond HIV, the report highlights broader youth vulnerabilities. Nearly half of all young people aged 15–35 are classified as NEET, one of the highest rates globally. Young women are disproportionately affected, facing increased risks of poverty, early pregnancy, and poor health outcomes.

The report also cites persistent adolescent childbearing and heightened maternal health risks among young mothers aged 20–24. Combined with low HIV testing among adolescents, these trends raise concerns about young people entering adulthood without adequate health knowledge or support.

Statistics Botswana warns that adolescence and youth are critical years for shaping lifelong health behaviours. Missed opportunities for early HIV testing, reproductive health education, and mental health support, the report says, could have long-term consequences for individuals and national development.