22 Oct 2015

Botswana Vaccine Institute has recorded a reduction in sales revenue in 2014 standing at P78.4 million versus a set budget of P107. 9 million. Briefing the parliamentary committee on statutory bodies, the general manager of Botswana Vaccine Institute, Dr Onkabetse Matlho said it represented a significant deficit of 26 per cent against the budget. 

He also said it represented a decline in performance when measured against the 2013 sales of P95 million and the 2012 sales of P92.6 million.

Dr Matlho noted that in 2014 the institute experienced high costs of production due to high incidents of destructions due to product contamination. 

“It is therefore anticipated that BVI recorded losses in excess of P17 million for the year ended December 2014,” he said.

He attributed the sales reduction to improved FMD situation in the SADC region.

He said there was need for product promotion as much has been said about the superior quality of BVI vaccines. 

He, however, said this has not been widely advertised to distinguish BVI products from the rest of the products available in the global market.

He further said there was need to improve product distribution by developing a distribution and logistics platform to support BVI’s growth in new markets.

Dr Matlho said the performance of BVI was unpredictable and cynical based on outbreaks of diseases, adding that the government was requested to provide the necessary support when requested to assist.

The committee asked why BVI manufactures the best vaccine for FMD yet some parts of the country were not green. Dr Matlho said  80 per cent of Botswana was vaccinated and green noting. Ends