09 May 2020

Botswana Railways (BR) donated medical equipment to Mahalapye District Hospital on Friday. The donation comprised 400 surgical gloves, 200 surgical masks, 10 sanitisers and three infrared thermometers.

When handing over the donation to hospital superintendent, Dr Maxwell Mungisi, a BR board member, Mr Oreeditse Molebatsi, called upon God to bless the BR executive management for its gesture as well as the health workers who would use the items to protect themselves and patients against the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks, BR chief executive officer (CEO), Mr Leonard Makwinja, said through the motivation of BR board, BR management found it fit to donate the medical equipment to help protect health workers who were at the forefront of fighting the pandemic. 

"As you know, Mahalapye is the home of Botswana Railways. This is where we originate, this is where we are and this is our village or town. To fight this pandemic, it is really upon the citizens in every town to see what they can do to help each other. That is why we started here," he added.

Dr Mungisi, who is also thead of Mahalapye District Health Management Team (DHMT), expressed gratitude for BR's noble gesture, saying it would go a long way in protecting the health workers in Mahalapye-Sub-district.

The donation, Dr Mungisi said, came at a time when the front-liners in the fight against COVID-19 in the district needed it most. 

"We are happy that as a nation, we had been able to put up very good strategies to ensure this virus does not spread far. And this is a heartwarming and a positive gesture to us as front-liners, because we have to be protected first, to protect others," he added. 

For her part, Mahalapye District Hospital assistant matron, Ms Lesedi Lekone, thanked BR for the donation, saying health workers required protective equipment, adding that the medical equipment would be used adequately to serve the community. Ends