Has Donor Funding Been Able to Change the HIV/AIDS Policy Agenda in Botswana?

Abstract

Despite optimism about the end of AIDS, the HIV response requires sustained financing globally into thefuture. Given flat-lining international aid, countries’ willingness and ability to shoulder this responsibility will be central to access to HIV care. Donor funding for HIV programmes has increased rapidly over the past years, raising questions about whether other health services in recipient-country health systems are being crowded out or strengthened. The recognition of the AIDS pandemic as an epochal crisis has led to a proliferation of international and donor organization’s now directly involved in governance, tracking and management. This paper examines funding of HIV/AIDS in Botswana and the relationship between foreign donors and Botswana government. It gives an illustration of how public- private partnerships approaches can be useful in the control of HIV/AIDS. It concludes by stating that since Botswana is going through an epidemiological transition and experiencing HIV/AIDS fatigue, new innovative health financing methods needs to be introduced.