25 Jun 2023

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STI) remain a challenge in the North East District, with 892 cases registered in the  first quarter of this year.

Principal District Officer Development Ms Omphile Mogorosi said when addressing North East District full Council (NEDC) session recently.

Ms Mogorosi said there had been an increase in the number of STI cases from 844 last quarter to 894 this year. She explained that a total of 149 mothers were enrolled in the Prevention of Mother To Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme as to compared to 40 in the last quarter.

“There was no case of PMTCT recorded, no maternal death recorded this quarter,” she said adding that the Expanded Programme on Immunizations (EPI) coverage was at 71 per cent against a target of 90 per cent,” she said. On teenage pregnancy, Ms Mogorosi said the North East District had registered 38 teenage pregnancies between January and March this year, and one of the case involved a girl aged below 15 years.

Ms Mogorosi said of the total number, 11 cases were from Tati Siding, Ramokgwebana and Matshelagabedi recorded 4 each, Tshesebe, Mapoka, Ditladi, Tsamaya, Masunga and Gulubane recorded 2 each, while Mowana, Matsiloje and Jackalas recorded 1 each, Senyawe, Siviya, Makaleng recorded 1 each. She said while the Ministry of Youth, Gender, Sports and Culture (MYSC) was facing a challenge of lack of condom dispensers, they managed to distribute 200 pieces of male condoms. Ms Mogorosi observed that unavailability of condom dispensers had ended in lack of privacy thus resulting in stigma and victimisation and pregnancy.

Mopipi International Trust reached out to the community during Safe Ride Campaign conducted at Bars, Taxis, Salons, Social clubs and 2 508 people were reached where 27 624 condoms were distributed although that did not guarantee usage, she said.

On education, she said text books amounting to P3. 2 million were ordered for Pre and Primary Schools and P1. 9 million was spent on the procurement of Junior Secondary Schools books while a decision was taken to divert the budget for senior schools on the purchase of stationery for students.

Poverty Eradication Economist, Mr Daniel Tlhako told the house that poverty eradication programme had since inception mobilised and assessed 2 755 people and 1 355 people qualified for the programme while 1 400 did not qualify due to different reasons but were sent to other government programmes meant to assist Batswana.

He said from those who qualified, 1 343 beneficiaries were funded, trained and 12 were awaiting funding. 

“The number of established projects from these beneficiaries is 1 286 and 1 033 are operational, 197 are non-operational, while 56 are failed projects,” he said.

Mr Tlhako said the district has 34 group projects with 83 beneficiaries and employment created stood at 1 109, of which 1 082 were self-employment and 27 as additional employment created by excelling projects. 

On the other hand, he said targeted monitoring was done on key projects in the district that included bakery, fashion design projects, egg layers and fishing.

Mr Tlhako said fishing was doing well in the district, but the challenges come with unregulated sales of fish which gave way for poachers to take over the market, adding that there was need for an association that controls fishing activities. ENDS