Estimated worldwide HIV infections:56 071 935 at 12.25pm on Thursday February 19 2004.
The government of Botswana is offering voluntary HIV tests for anyone who goes to a medical clinic with a health problem, a plan that some worry could lead to mandatory testing.
It is estimated that more than 35% of the adult population of Botswana is HIV-positive, but less than 8% of its population of 1,6-million knows their HIV status.
Critics say mandatory testing could be the next step if voluntary testing does not bring down HIV prevalence. ‘Even in democratic societies, there have always been situations that call for draconian measures,” said Ndwapi Ndwapi, co-director of the HIV/Aids clinic at the country’s largest hospital.
Cuba is the only country that has instituted mandatory testing. The country’s HIV prevalence is one of the lowest in the world.
The World Health Organisation discourages mandatory testing, saying the HIV/Aids stigma would ‘drive underground” people who are afraid to test positive.
http://kaisernetwork.org