10 Apr 2018

The Safe Male Circumcision programme received a total budget of P8.3 million for the financial year 2017/18, Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Biggie Butale has said.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Monday, Mr Butale said that the amount was for the whole programme implementation including circumcision promotion.

He said that a total of P3.6 million was used for promotion of circumcision including multimedia campaigns in newspapers, radio and television adverts including roadshows and engagement of temporary mobilisers.

Mr Butale said various artistes had been engaged in the promotion of Safe Male Circumcision (SMC) services by districts adding that the artistes were invited to participate in SMC district mini launches through request for quotation method of procurement and where the artiste was sourced directly, justification for sole sourcing was provided.

He said that some of the artistes who were engaged at district level included Motlabaseo (Mahalapye), Mdijo (Gantsi), Figos (Kanye), Captain Dira (Mookane) at a request for quotation while Vee Mampesy, Mingo Touch, Mapetla, Skazo, (Kanye SMC launch) were at direct appointment.

Mr Butale noted that at national level, the ministry through the PEPFAR financial support invited Multimedia companies to manage a Road Show for a period of six months through Selective Tendering process.

He said that this activity supported the six months Accelerated SMC for Southern and Good Hope and all those companies submitted their bid and went through the evaluation process.

He however said River Square Pty Ltd emerged the successful bidder as it had strength of using the SMC Ambassador and were at a lower quote.

The contract, he said, was for a period of five months from May to August 2017 at a cost of P1.9 million.

Parliament was further informed that promotion of SMC through edutainment had over the years been open to all artistes in the country; and artists were encouraged to partner with the ministry at district level to participate in health promotion activities.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Haskins Nkaigwa had asked the minister how much money had been spent in the promotion of circumcision, which artist was engaged as well as procurement procedures used in enagaging the artistes. ENDS