Is mandatory HIV testing in pregnant women in Botswana morally permissible?
Date
2018-07-17
Authors
Tacheba, Kelebalwe Lekau
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Abstract
This research assesses the moral permissibility of mandating human immunodeficiency
virus testing in pregnant women in Botswana. The aim of the research is to defend the
claim that it is morally permissible to mandate HIV testing in pregnant women in
Botswana where antiretrovirals (ARVs) are freely available in government health
facilities and reasonably accessed. In Botswana, 95% of people are within five kilometre
reach of a health facility where they access ARVs (Essex et al., 2016). Currently
Botswana uses a routine opt-out HIV testing policy which gives pregnant women the
right to refuse an HIV test. The access to ARVs in the prevention of mother-to-child
transmission of HIV begins with testing. With such a high availability of ARVs and
access to treatment and after care, it seems unreasonable for a pregnant woman to opt
out of HIV testing. In this report I apply principlism and consequentialist moral theory to
argue for a shift from opt-out to mandatory HIV testing of pregnant women in Botswana.
Description
A research report submitted to the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the
Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
Masters of Science in Medicine in Bioethics and Health Law, 2018
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Citation
Lekau-Tacheba, Kelebalwe (2018) Is mandatory HIV testing in pregnant women in Botswana morally permissible?, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, <http://hdl.handle.net/10539/29119>