The Government of Botswana (GOB) provides comprehensive health care services to refugees in the Dukwi refugee camp clinic, with the exception of ART. Botswana is the only country in the region with a national ART program that excludes refugees. This proposal seeks support for ART for refugees in Botswana. There are 3300 recognized refugees in Botswana with 125 refugees enrolled in ART and 50 others being monitored. The UNHCR availed funding to BRCS to start the ART and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programs to save lives in the interim while waiting for a longer term program to be funded by PEPFAR, which is planned to start in FY10.

The BRCS introduced the program in April 2009. There is a need to scale up adherence counseling at the Dukwi camp, strengthen the monitoring of treatment outcomes, and continue the provision of PMTCT through the community-based program. Refugees are currently receiving ARVs at a private clinic in Francistown. In FY10, the UNCHR and BRCS plan to establish more conducive conditions under which to run the ARV program at Dukwi camp. The program will be administered following the Botswana ARV protocols.

All women refugees who are HIV-positive and pregnant are monitored. If eligible, they start ARVs or PMTCT during their pregnancies. ARV medications for PMTCT are also obtained from the private clinic in Francistown. The BRCS nurse organizes the ARVs for the midwives in Dukwi clinic to administer to patients. All of the above activities are organized without the involvement of the Ministry of Health. The UNHCR and BRCS tried from the inception of the ARV program, Masa, to institute and maintain a regular exchange of communication with the different ministerial levels. The treatment of opportunistic infections and inpatient care are still done through the GOB medical facilities. Most refugees who begin ARVs in Botswana will be able to continue treatment upon return to their countries of origin. The UNHCR Botswana will facilitate treatment referrals through its offices in the refugees' countries of origin on a case-by-case basis.

10.T.AT14: UNHCR - Refugees - Redacted

The Government of Botswana (GOB) provides comprehensive health care services to refugees in the Dukwi refugee camp clinic, with the exception of ART. Botswana is the only country in the region with a national ART program that excludes refugees. This proposal seeks support for ART for refugees in Botswana. There are 3300 recognized refugees in Botswana with 125 refugees enrolled in ART and 50 others being monitored. The UNHCR availed funding to BRCS to start the ART and Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programs to save lives in the interim while waiting for a longer term program to be funded by PEPFAR, which is planned to start in FY10.

The BRCS introduced the program in April 2009. There is a need to scale up adherence counseling at the Dukwi camp, strengthen the monitoring of treatment outcomes, and continue the provision of PMTCT through the community-based program. Refugees are currently receiving ARVs at a private clinic in Francistown. In FY10, the UNCHR and BRCS plan to establish more conducive conditions under which to run the ARV program at Dukwi camp. The program will be administered following the Botswana ARV protocols.

All women refugees who are HIV-positive and pregnant are monitored. If eligible, they start ARVs or PMTCT during their pregnancies. ARV medications for PMTCT are also obtained from the private clinic in Francistown. The BRCS nurse organizes the ARVs for the midwives in Dukwi clinic to administer to patients. All of the above activities are organized without the involvement of the Ministry of Health. The UNHCR and BRCS tried from the inception of the ARV program, Masa, to institute and maintain a regular exchange of communication with the different ministerial levels. The treatment of opportunistic infections and inpatient care are still done through the GOB medical facilities. Most refugees who begin ARVs in Botswana will be able to continue treatment upon return to their countries of origin. The UNHCR Botswana will facilitate treatment referrals through its offices in the refugees' countries of origin on a case-by-case basis.