HEALTH FAILURE

Sex workers across Botswana are raising a desperate cry for help as ongoing shortages of condoms and essential STI treatment medicines leave them dangerously exposed to health risks.The health supply crisis, already affecting many, has pushed one of the country’s most vulnerable populations into an even more precarious position.Tosh Legoreng, Founder and Director of Sisonke Botswana, an organisation that works with and advocates for sex workers, paints a disturbing picture of a health system failing those who rely on it most.“Sex workers have been experiencing shortages of condoms for several months, and this makes negotiating safer sex with clients extremely difficult. Many cannot afford to buy their own injections or medication when they contract STIs because treatment is hardly available in public facilities. That creates delays that can lead to serious complications,” Legoreng said.The organisation has documented cases in Gaborone, Kang, Selebi‑Phikwe and Martins Drift, where delayed medical care caused avoidable illness.According to Legoreng, sex workers are often dismissed or stereotyped in healthcare settings, which leads to longer waiting periods or being turned away altogether. When supplies run dry, it is sex workers who pay the quickest and most painful price.“These shortages create fear within the community. People become anxious to even seek help when sick. The system becomes harder to trust,” she added.Sisonke Botswana has been struggling to respond to the rising distress among sex workers. Limited funding means the group can only reach a few locations, leaving many stranded without support.“We rely on NAHPA KP grants for our programmes in Mahalapye and Palapye. That support does not extend to other districts where we work. We have too many areas to cover with too little support,” Legoreng explained.NAHPA KP refers to the National AIDS & Health Promotion Agency, specifically focusing on its work with Key Populations.She stressed that sex workers in villages and border towns are among the worst affected, as they remain far from stocked clinics and are often confronted with stigma when trying to access help.Botswana has made progress in HIV response over the years, but a shortage of basic preventative supplies could undo the gains.During the World AIDS Day commemoration held in Kanye, Minister of Health Dr Stephen Modise warned that young women remain disproportionately exposed to new HIV infections.“Last year alone, about 4,120 people were estimated to have contracted new HIV infections in Botswana, out of which 1,118 (27 per cent) were among girls and young women aged between 15 and 24,” he said.The Minister stated that there is growing evidence that condom use among young people is decreasing. Unequal power dynamics and a lack of information continue to leave girls unableto insist on safer sex.Modise said targeted interventions will be rolled out for adolescent girls, young women, key populations, and boys and men.The crisis is not only affecting key populations; ordinary residents in some districts are also feeling the pinch.Tlokweng District Council Chairperson, Ontiretse Bogatsu, recently revealed that only 57 per cent of the required medicines are currently available in the district. Non‑drug supplies, including items needed for basic diagnosis and infection control, are sitting at a worrying 53 per cent.She said HIV testing increased from 820 people in the first quarter of the year to 1,826 in the second quarter, and all those who tested positive were enrolled for ARV treatment. But Bogatsu warned that health services remain disrupted because clinics simply cannot provide what patients need.“Critical programmes like HIV and TB testing, diabetes control, and childhood vaccination are affected,” she said.

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HEALTH FAILURE