Botswana is gearing up for the implementation of a combination prevention study aimed at reducing incidence of HIV infection.

The Botswana Combination Prevention Project is collaboration between the Ministry of Health, Center for Disease Control -Botswana and the Botswana Harvard Partnership. The project will be implemented in 30 villages.

The study, sponsored by President Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, (PEPFAR) is aimed at reducing the number of HIV transmitters and transmission time through using ARVs to treat those with high viral load even before they qualify for treatment. The combination prevention project is not only a study but an intervention that will hopefully increase  safe male circumcision, HIV testing and refine Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, (PMTCT) among people aged 16 -64 years targeted. It is also hoped to result in enhanced support for retention in care and ART adherence.

The group, with members’ full consent will be counseled and tested to identify HIV infected, followed by a CD4 and viral load testing. Those whose CD4 count is above 350 with viral loads of more than 10 000 will be registered on antiretroviral therapy.

Through the study, Botswana will be able to estimate the cost of the intervention per HIV infection averted in intervention communities compared with standard – of –care communities.