03 Feb 2014

The Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi has urged HIV/AIDS communication and intervention coordinators to utilise the skills they acquired at a two-week training course.

Speaking at end of the course on January 31, Mr Masisi said the training had afforded participants an opportunity to find solutions that could make a meaningful impact in mitigating the spread of HIV infection. He urged participants to utilise the newly acquired skills and techniques and to come up with innovative ideas that would stimulate public interest as well as to make an impact on the population’s higher level needs.

Mr Masisi said they should be able to conduct audience analysis, set communication objectives, and develop key strategies and messages for their communities. “I urge you to put the ideas and techniques you gathered here to good use instantly,” he said.

The minister noted that the training was unique as it came at a time when the country prioritised HIV prevention in the national response to the AIDS epidemic. He said as a national response to AIDS, the government has embarked upon capacity development measures to improve on key skills at HIV programming, research and monitoring and evaluation.

In this regard, he said the government has in 2008 collaborated with ACHAP to bring about experts from Johns Hoskins to provide technical capacity on strategic health communication. He further pledged that his ministry would avail the necessary resources to ensure that communicators achieve their goals.

He also thanked the United States government for the continued support and financial resources and expertise they render to Botswana, as well as non-governmental organisations, the private sector and civil service for their zeal and determination in executing HIV/AIDS programmes. The course was facilitated by Johns Hopkins Blomberg School of Public Health and was attended by 33 participants from government, the private sector and NGOs. ENDS