MEDICAL EXCELLENCE:
BHP researchers recognised
Three Botswana Harvard AIDS Institute Partnership (BHP) researchers have been recognised at the just-ended 8th Botswana International HIV Conference.
The three researchers - BHP Laboratory Director Dr Sikhulile Moyo, Natasha Moraka and Bonolo Phinius - received Most impactful researcher (Dr Festus Mogae Award), Best Abstract Award and Best Young Researcher Awards respectively.
Dr Moyo’s research was on the Role of Pathogen Genomics in Public Health: Lessons from Covid-19 and HIV in Botswana. Moraka’s was on High predicted bNAb, that is, broadly neutralising antibody treatment, resistance but low-level HIV drug resistance among adults with HIV-1 seroconversion in Botswana, while Phinius’ research was on the High Prevalence of Chronic and Occult Hepatitis B Virus Infection among people living with HIV in rural and peri-urban communities in Botswana.
The International HIV Conference took place after a four-year break due to Covid-19, under the theme, ‘New Generation, New Opportunities: Building resilience within our communities.’
It brought together key stakeholders including medical practitioners, government and decision makers and influencers, local and international medical professionals and all those that have peculiar interest in the fight against the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
One of the award recipients, Dr Moyo also recently won the German Africa Award for Omicron discovery, alongside South African Professor Tulio de Oliveira. The two will be presented with the award at the end of this month in Berlin.
The duo is also jointly named in the TIME Magazine’s list of 100 most influential people in the world for the year 2022 for the discovery of Omicron variant.
Phinius, one of the awardees’ project entailed studies in Hepatitis B virus (HBV) in 30 rural and peri-urban communities in Botswana, to study the burden of the virus in these communities that are often understudied.
The virus, according to Phinius, causes liver disease and if left untreated can even result in liver cancer. In addition, she looked into HBV variants that are circulating in these communities to better understand how patients can be managed.
According to her, this is the largest HBV study to be conducted in Botswana. It will bring awareness to the public in different parts of Botswana about HBV.
“Results of this study will also inform the Ministry of Health on areas that are highly affected to encourage targeted interventions in these areas hence bringing about evidence-based policies from data specific to Batswana,” she said.
Dr Edwin Dikoloti said at the Conference that Botswana has achieved remarkable milestones in the health sector. Among the most significant feats, has been the reduced motherto-child HIV transmission rate to under five percent, one of the lowest in the world.
He said Botswana provides antenatal care and antiretroviral treatment to more than 90 percent of pregnant women. “I am also happy to report that we have achieved an HIV care rate of fewer than 500 per 100 000 live births,” he told the conference.
Dr Dikoloti added that these noble achievements provide testament that indeed Botswana has done a lot in trying to save the lives of citizens since the first case of HIV was detected in Botswana in the 80s.
He cautioned, however that it is important to know that epidemics and pandemics like Covid-19 highlight the fragility of the healthcare system.
“It is in this regard that my ministry recognises the need to build strong resilient healthcare systems anchored on primary health care, which delivers quality healthcare that is equitable, efficient, responsive and meets population demands in a culturally appropriate manner.”