The Botswana Defense Force (BDF) and Population Services International (PSI), a social health marketing organization, this week launched an integrated HIV/AIDS prevention campaign at the Sir Seretse Khama Barracks.
The campaign commonly known as ‘Sekwata Campaign’ is aimed at reducing the HIV incidence and other sexually transmitted diseases amongst members of the BDF and their families, and to mitigate the impact of HIV/AIDS on the BDF and civilian communities.
The 2013 Sekwata Campaign will emphasize an integrated prevention intervention package to ensure a comprehensive approach to the reduction of HIV/AIDS, with a focus on three key areas: Safe Male Circumcision (SMC), HIV Counseling and Testing (HCT), and consistent and correct condom use.
The campaign will run from May to August 2013 and will be rolled out in ten BDF camps across the country.
The objectives of the campaign are to encourage BDF personnel to seek SMC and HCT services, and promote correct and consistent condom usage in conjunction with the distribution of Sekwata military-branded condoms in the camps.
For SMC in particular, critical information will be disseminated and discussed, such as the benefits of SMC, and what men can expect during and after the procedure.
Post operation care will also be emphasized, such as wound care, the need to wait six weeks after being circumcised before resuming sexual activity, and the continued practice of safe sexual behaviors post-SMC.
When launching this year’s campaign, the Commander of Botswana Defense Force Lieutenant General Gaolathe Galebotswe stated that, “This campaign must be recognized as a sign for our re-affirmation and commitment to educate ourselves not only at the institutional level but also at the national and global levels of fighting the spread of HIV and AIDS.”
Galebotswe also encouraged members of the BDF to use Sekwata condoms and implored everybody present, not to view Sekwata condoms as tools for perpetuating immorality and promiscuity, but look at them as a resource that can be used to unravel a significant number of social problems facing our society today.
Speaking at the launch, Major Mooketsi Ditsela of the BDF said, “While the HIV epidemic in Botswana is generalized, there is concern that Botswana’s military personnel, the BDF, may be particularly vulnerable to HIV infection due to the unique circumstances that surround military service. Military personnel are highly mobile and are often sent away for deployments, trainings, and peace keeping missions.”
Research conducted by PSI (PSI-BDF TRaC 2006) supports Major Ditsela’s statements, as it indicated that during deployments, soldiers may engage in risky sexual behaviors with commercial sex workers and civilian populations.
In addition, most military personnel in Botswana are young, single men, who may have more partners than their older married counterparts and are more susceptible to be peer pressured into risky sexual behaviors.
Ditsela further noted that during last year’s campaign, 619 men were circumcised, 4,413 were tested for HIV and 3.2 millions Sekwata condoms were distributed.
This year’s target is to circumcise 716 men, to distribute 1,048,496 condoms and to ensure that at least 6,000 soldiers are tested and know their status.
PSI Marketing and Communications Manager, Mpho Motlhabane said that PSI has been working with the BDF with funding from the United States Department of Defense (DoD) since 2003 to develop multi-channel health communications campaigns targeting the specific profiles of military personnel.
For this year’s campaign, key communication messages will focus on encouraging military men to support and encourage each other to circumcise, to value and understand the long-term benefits of circumcision over the short-term minimal pain, and to instill and reinforce a sense of pride and confidence by illustrating that women admire and respect circumcised men.
Key communication channels will include trained BDF Peer Educators who will provide information and materials to fellow BDF personnel on these HIV prevention approaches, and a targeted marketing strategy using print, outdoor media, radio, television, and branding and promotional items.
Members of the men sector can access facilities for SMC, HCT and condoms onsite during the campaign at the following sites SSKB, Village, Donga, Glen Valley, Shakawe, Thebephatshwa and Selebi Phikwe.
