The Botswana 2023 integrated HIV clinical care guidelines

The Results of the Fifth Botswana AIDS Impact Survey (BAIS V) and the 2023 Botswana UNAIDS HIV Estimates, documenting Botswana's achievements in the fight against HIV are important milestones to be celebrated. These milestones should catalyze and reinvigorate our efforts towards reaching HIV epidemiologic control and finally ending the Era of AIDS in Botswana after decades of struggle. While the human, financial and personal investment in this battle has been great, we must remember that our goals were realized through our collective efforts towards improving the lives of those we serve. Now as we pivot towards facing new healthcare challenges, there has never been a more important time to reflect on the lessons learned from HIV and build upon our primary healthcare systems, to address rising comorbidities and prevent mortality. To further optimize HIV clinical care, we must continue to stop the spread of HIV among youth, provide appropriate public health interventions to key populations and streamline routine service delivery. Fundamental to these emerging goals is strengthening our healthcare systems to provide rights-based integrated and comprehensive healthcare services to all People Living with HIV, their families and communities. Having achieved what many believed was unachievable in our battle against HIV provides enduring hope that meeting our emerging health challenges is not only possible, but well within our reach. And as before, our ability to address Sexual Reproductive Health issues, Non-Communicable Diseases and other Infectious Disease epidemics, will depend on our resolve to work in unity across all cadres of healthcare providers, academics and development partners to save more lives. The 2023 HIV Integrated Clinical Care Guidelines will undoubtedly move us closer to solving emerging public health challenges, while maintaining our successes against HIV and ensuring that every PLHIV's longevity and quality of life are guaranteed.

National guideline for implementation of integrated community-based health services

The National Guideline for Implementation of Integrated Community-Based Health Services has been developed by the Ministry of Health and Wellness­Department of Health Services Management as a technical tool. This guideline is a reflection of the Ministry's commitment to strengthening primary health care and implementation of the Harmonization of Botswana's Community Health Workers Groups: Primary Health Care­Community Health Workers (PHC-CHW) Coordination Strategy launched in 2017. Seeking to promote an integrated approach to community-based health service delivery and standardize a minimum package of community-based health interventions, the guideline also reflects the country's commitment to local and global health sector goals. The specific objectives are to provide technical and programmatic guidance including: • Improving the delivery of integrated community-based health interventions through provision of a standardized minimum package • Strengthening coordination and management of community-based health services through harmonized community health workers groups, leadership and governance • Strengthening CHWs competencies and skill mix for delivery of integrated communitybased health services • Strengthening information management for integrated community-based health services The guideline will benefit various actors and stakeholders including policymakers, managers, Ministries, and CHWs who are responsible for managing and implementing community-based health services. A multidisciplinary team developed the initial concept for the guideline and engaged in an interactive and extended collaborative process of reviewing and refining the scope and content. The guideline is the first publication on community health services and mirrors the primary health care guideline in the way the minimum package is developed. The guideline is intended to be easy to read and user friendly, and will be placed in all facilities for reference. It also includes a curriculum for CHWs in the era of COVID-19.