02 Apr 2020

Southern District prepared to deal with COVID-19

Southern District Commissioner, Mr Mmoloki Raletobana says the district is prepared for any eventuality that may arise from the COVID-19 pandemic.

He told BOPA in an interview, on the sidelines of Southern District Executive COVID-19 team strategy meeting in Kanye recently, that all structures within the district such as district and sub-districts command centres were ready to deal with the pandemic.

He said given that the country’s leadership had availed resources and mentally prepared them to deal with suspected and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Mr Raletobana said it was imperative to avoid unnecessary trips, adding that one should only go out to seek medical attention or to supermarkets for a limited time.

He said that would help the nation to manage social distancing, as there would be no congestion in public places.

He counted Batswana lucky, as they had an opportunity to learn as they saw COVID-19 ravaging other countries, before it hit home.

Mr Raletobana commended Batswana for their endless support in that business people were pledging lodges for accommodation or to be used as quarantine and isolation centres, while others were pledging groceries.

He said the district would constantly review its strategies in line with set-out health measures and let the situation at hand dictate what decision/s to take in a bid to normalise the situation, but ensuring that people do not suffer.

Mr Raletobana said adherence to set-out health precautions remained fundamental and thus encouraged people to stay home, wash hands with water and soap or use sanitisers where possible.

He urged essential services workers to stay in the proximity of their work stations, as they might be called when the need arises.

He therefore called on accounting officers to remain behind, as they play a critical role in ensuring that set-out health precautions to further strengthen COVID-19 containment are adhered to.

He further urged supermarkets that would be operating during the state of emergency not to hike prices. Ends