§ Mr. Gordon PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many and what percentage of the sexually active population in(a) Botswana and (b) Namibia is infected with HIV/AIDS; how many and what percentage are being treated with anti-retroviral drugs; and if she will make a statement. [9064]
§ Clare ShortThe best data available are derived from annual surveys of pregnant women seeking ante-natal care. Extrapolations from the 2000 data suggest that up to 306,000 people aged 15 to 49 in Botswana and 190,000 in Namibia are HIV positive. This means that 38.5 per cent. of 15–49 year olds in Botswana and 22.3 per cent. of this group in Namibia are infected. At present, no one in either country receives free anti-retroviral drugs (ARV) from the Government. The Government of Botswana plan to introduce a comprehensive scheme to provide free ARV treatment to all who are HIV positive by the end of the year. Botswana has a national Mother to Child Transmission programme that includes the provision of a single dose of Nevirapine to reduce the risk of peri-natal and ante-natal transmission of HIV.