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BOTSWANA SYNDROME: ARE WE TO REMAIN BYSTANDER S?
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Dr. Rajesh Chauhan, Consultant, Fam Med, Hosp Adm & Communicable Diseases 309/9 A.V. Colony, Sikandra, AGRA - 282007. INDIA.
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drchauhanrajesh{at}yahoo.com Dr. Rajesh Chauhan
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Dear Editor, The AIDS epidemic has left many scars and gaping wounds in society, and all is not over yet. To learn about the plight of the children and the society of Botswana through the study just published in your journal is painful and saddening [1]. The indelible marks of brewing disaster were there to be witnessed more than a decade earlier while I was working as a Senior Medical Officer in the early nineties. A few strong raison d'ętre for the unabated spread of HIV in the country have already been published [2]. The Botswana society is quite resilient and cares for its people [3]. However, with the raging HIV epidemic, the young are left to be looked after by the aged who are themselves in need of tender care in their old age. Maybe, with some help and initiative, isolated care givers might be clustered into self-reliant and self-sustaining ‘orphanages.’ With proper boarding and continuing education, the crisis can be blunted. Botswana has a community structure (‘Kgotla’) and can be restructured to incorporate within its fold the orphans as well as their aged caregivers--with some help. Many of the woes can be dissipated by bringing together the orphaned children and the aged under the able care and guidance of volunteers or other dedicated persons with governmental help/AIDS agencies. The costs of restructuring will not be much and at the end of the day, it will help sustain and rejuvenate the resilient society of Botswana. A few things deserve a fresh 're-look' for concerted efforts against the HIV epidemic [4-9], if we are sincerely NOT interested anymore in just gathering swelling numbers and continuing to fight a losing battle. With regards & best wishes to the Batswana (the people of Botswana). References: 1. Miller CM, Gruskin S, Subramanian SV, Rajaraman D, Heymann SJ. Orphan Care in Botswana's Working Households: Growing Responsibilities in the Absence of Adequate Support. Am J Public Health 2006; 0:AJPH.2005.072280v1 2. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P, Chauhan S. TWO MORE CAUSES OF HIGHER INCIDENCE OF HIV IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION. Am J Pub Health 16 May 2005. http://www.ajph.org/cgi/eletters/95/5/808 3. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P. OLD PEOPLE ARE FACED WITH DILEMMA AS FAMILIES DISINTEGRATE. BMJ 2005; 330:1331-32. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/330/7503/1331-c http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=retrieve&db=pubmed&list_uids=15933366&dopt=Abstract 4. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P, Chauhan BPS, et al. HIV: WHAT TO DO? HOW TO PROCEED? BMJ 7 Jul 2005. http://bmj.com/cgi/eletters/330/7505/1409-a#111653, 7 Jul 2005 5. Chauhan R. URGENT COURSE CORRECTIONS NEEDED FOR HIV MANAGEMENT IN VIEW OF THE THREAT POSED BY FLU PANDEMIC. eCMAJ 16 Jan 2006. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/eletters/173/11/1311#3523 6. Chauhan R. CONSIDERATION IN FAVOR OF SIMULTANEOUS SCREENING FOR HIV INFECTION AND CONTACT TRACING. Annals Family Medicine 9 June 2005. http://www.annfammed.org/cgi/eletters/3/3/263#2207 7. Chauhan R. UNIQUE FIVE DAYS "CHICKENPOX" IN ADULTS: ANOTHER EARLIEST INDICATOR OF HIV INFECTION. BMJ 26 May 2005. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/bmj.38398.590602.E0v1 8. Chauhan R. CONTROVERSIES SURROUNDING CIRCUMCISION: BOTSWANA. BMJ 2 May 2005. http://bmj.bmjjournals.com/cgi/eletters/330/7493/684#105395 9. Chauhan R, Singh AK, Kushwah P, Chauhan S, Chauhan, S, Chauhan SPS. EMPHASIZING ADDITIONAL MEASURES FOR HIV & IV DRUG USERS. eCMAJ 11 May 2005. http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/eletters/172/5/605#2490 |
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