10 Apr 2014

The University of Botswana, on April 9 rewarded people who carried outstanding work pertaining to HIV and AIDS activities at the institution.

The winners received certificates during the University of Botswana Red Ribbon Awards (UBRRA) event coordinated by the UB HIV and AIDS Coordination Office.

The awards were meant for innovative and outstanding individuals, departments and groups for their positive response to the national AIDS epidemic.

The UBRRA sought to acknowledge, motivate and appreciate HIV and AIDS workers as well as to highlight the imperativeness of keeping HIV and AIDS on the top agenda of individuals, departments, faculties and institutions.

Speaking at the awards ceremony, the permanent secretary in the Ministry of Education and Skills Development, Mr Richard Matlhare said the UBRRA actualised one of the priorities of the goal of the country’s response as stipulated in the National Strategic Framework on HIV and AIDS 2010-2016. The priority being the strategic information management, he added.

He cited one of the specific objectives of this priority as strengthening information management system of the national response to enhance information sharing and utilisation.

Mr Matlhare said as the county’s highest learning institution, UB had a daunting task of giving the nation an HIV free workforce in waiting. There were many categories for the UBRRA, such as the HIV and AIDS Community Service Champion, which went to Professor Andrea Marobela and Professor Lovemore Togaresei.

The HIV and AIDS Administration or Non Academic Services Champion award went to Professor Sheila Tlou and Professor Sharon Siverts.

With this award, the UBRRA sought to recognise people in leadership positions who provided crucial outstanding leadership in assisting the university, the nation, institutions and communities to respond adequately to HIV and AIDS at policy, implementation and role model levels.

There was also the HIV and AIDS International Research Champion award which was for a man or woman or research group that has made significant professional contributions at regional and international level.

The recipient should have done collaborative research with the department’s research team, or university centres such as those focusing on AIDS and indigenous knowledge systems among others or inter disciplinary research with people in other departments.

Other awards included HIV and AIDS Awareness Champion, Blood Donation Champion, HIV and AIDS Creative Writing Champion, Community Outreach Champions and HIV AIDS Artist Champion among others. ENDS