As the theme indicates, challenges face all of us in areas of prevention and care. By coming together to share our knowledge, our resources, and our commitment to stopping the spread of HIV and AIDS, we will all benefit. No longer can one constituency, one organization, even one government hope to win the war against the epidemic that is sweeping across Botswana and across southern Africa. We must come together, as we are at this conference, if we are to have success. Today that percentage has risen to almost 20 per-cent.
Women are at greatest risk as are youth in their most productive years.
In addition, the number of orphans in Botswana increases daily. The finan-cial and social implications of these statistics are staggering. It is hoped that these presentations will strengthen Botswana's national AIDS prevention program and help build its medical and scientific infrastructure. It is further hoped that this conference will give each of us a new vision and renew our commitment to our common struggle. HIV and AIDS are pre-ventable, but we have learned their prevention is not easy.