08 Nov 2017

In line with World Health Organisation (WHO) standards, government remains committed to providing child survival programmes to guarantee optimal child health care.

That was said by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama when delivering the State of the Nation address on November 6. 

The President said this was achieved though effective implementation of intergrated management of childhood illnesses, expanded programmes on immunization and early child development programmes. 

He said immunisation programme had maintained a coverage of 90 per cent for over a decade adding that it was one of the most cost effective public health interventions which saved children from vaccine preventable diseases. 

He added that government introduced new vaccines to augment the existing ones and deal with emerging threats such as measles rubella, human papillomavirus measles second dose, rotavirus and many other deadly viruses.

In doing so, he said primary health care was improved through community involvement which resulted in infant mortality rate reduction from a loss of 76 lives per every 1 000 children to a loss of 17 live births per 1 000. 

Further, he revealed that children under five years mortality rate had improved from 51 deaths per 1 000 children to 28 children deaths in every 1 000 children.

President Khama also said the country was also making strides on Polio eradication and has not recorded a single case since 2004.

On malaria, he said the country was managing well as there has also been a reduction in such cases. 

On nutrition, he said government continues to place interventions in place to reduce malnutrition.

He said two years ago a National Nutrition Strategy was drawn targeted at reducing malnutrition and diet related conditions such as obesity.

He stated that about 230 000 children under five years who were in need were placed in a decentralised nutrition surveillance to monitor them.

He said since 2009 government implemented an annual vitamin A supplementation for every child who falls between six and 59 months.

He also said government established port health services at 12 points of entry into Botswana to proactively safe guard public health through inspection of goods.

Further, he noted that travelers were screened to ensure that they were free from infectious diseases. ENDS