Estimated worldwide HIV infections: 57 279 683 at 9.11am on Thursday May 13 2004.
Botswana President Festus Mogae said last week that foreign criticism of the country’s policy of routine HIV testing for people using public health services is hindering the country’s efforts to treat HIV-positive people with anti-retroviral drugs.
Critics in the United States and Europe have said the testing policy violates human rights. Last week Mogae said students applying for scholarships would be tested for HIV.
He said that this move ‘won’t be popular, but I think we are going to do it anyway”. More than 35% of the adult population in Botswana is HIV-positive, but less than 8% of its people know their HIV status.
Source: kaisernetwork.org