27 Aug 2015

The second dose of the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) will be undertaken from mid September, says Mahalapye Sub-district chairperson, Mr Tassman Cebani.

Speaking during the ongoing Mahalapye Sub-district Council meeting, Mr Cebani noted that the first dose was administered in February 2015. The campaign targets young girls in Standard Five, Six and Seven in primary schools.

He said the vaccine prevents cervical cancer which was the leading cause of cancer among women in the country. He noted that the vaccine was administered in two doses over an interval of six months, adding that the success of the exercise would save lives.

On other issues, Mr Cebani informed the house that President Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama has declared 2015/16 a drought year for the whole country following a drought assessment exercise. He added that the government has put in place several interventions to mitigate against the severe effects of the drought.

The interventions, he said, included paying 85 per cent of the 2014/15 seasonal loans to farmers eligible under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme, who secured loans through the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency and the National Development Bank.

He said the government would also provide 25 per cent subsidy to farmers on some items purchased through the Livestock Advisory Centres and Botswana Agricultural Board such as drought-calcium phosphate, drought pellets, bran, coarse salt, lucern or lab lab, maize and sorghum stalk bale and dairy meal.

Mr Cebani said the government would also provide a second meal at primary schools in RAD settlements. The government, he further said, would provide double ration for vulnerable groups under six-years-old, TB out patients and lactating and expectant mothers. He said direct feeding would also be provided to children who were moderately malnourished.

Mr Cebani appealed to councillors that the central government has its part, and that it was up to them ensure that the needed relief reaches the rightful people. On the 2016/17 tentative budget, he explained that the Mahalapye Sub-district Council has proposed over P182 million as the budget for the 2016/17 financial year.

He said the tentative budget registered a 37 per cent increase as compared to the current budget, adding that the increase would bring about the much needed improvement in several key areas of service delivery.He said the council intends to invest more in primary education by increasing allocations per pupil from the current P150 to P450 per pupil, and improve organisation efficiency by replacing 10 vehicles.

Mr Cebani said they had also set out to improve their social safety nets by increasing the allocated budget by P150 to P550 per person, and hoped that their budget would be financed as per their request. Ends