16 Apr 2019

Churches in Gumare, in collaboration with the police and Botswana Christian AIDS Intervention Program (BOCAIP), hosted an interfaith church service to raise awareness on road safety, diseases and crime ahead of the Easter holidays.

The April 14 event was also meant to remember those who lost their lives due to road accidents and HIV/AIDS, among other things.

Speaking at the service, assistant district AIDS coordinator for Okavango, Ms Kesegofetse Merapelo, said the HIV prevalence rate in the sub-district was estimated at 13.5 per cent.

She said the number of people on ARV treatment was 7 819 as at March 31, while out of this, 126 were children under the age of 12.

Ms Merapelo also noted that the district continued to record high numbers of teenage pregnancy, adding that there were 92 cases recorded between January and March this year.

She said out of the 92 cases, 53 were incidents of defilement.

Ms Merapelo also said between the months of January and March this year, 762 cases of sexually transmitted diseases were recorded in Okavango Sub-district.

For his part, Superintendent Mokopi Nawa of Gumare police pleaded with the youth to conduct themselves well at entertainment centres during the Easter holidays.

He also appealed with drivers to desist from drinking and driving and avoid over speeding.An official from the department of road transport and safety, Ms Lopang Motlhabane advised drivers to get enough rest ahead of their journeys to avoid fatigue, adding that fatigue was one of the factors causing most of the road accidents.She also pleaded with bus operators to avoid mixing passengers with luggage but use trailers instead. ENDS