10 Jun 2020

 An official from greater Selebi Phikwe region health management team (RHMT), Dr Enock Mulomba has pleaded for caution when balancing containment and prevention of COVID-19 and facilitation of economic recovery simultaneously under the ‘new normal.’

Updating Bobirwa Sub-council on COVID-19 situation in the country and the greater Selebi Phikwe region, Tuesday, Dr Mulomba warned that despite opening the economy and easing movement restrictions in phases, the risk of the COVID-19 pandemic still remained.

“We must observe all the protocols established by director of health services and the COVID-19 task team,” he advised.

Dr Mulomba said while the country was seized with balancing containment and prevention of the pandemic with facilitation of economic recovery, plans were ahead to continue finding active cases especially going into flu season.

He added that there would be continuation of risk communication and social engagement targeting vulnerable groups such as elderly people and pregnant women, among others.

Further, Dr Mulomba said preparations and identification of public places for future use as isolation centres were on course.

He said the region had established quarantine centres at Industrial Clinic in Selebi Phikwe and at both Mmadinare and Bobonong Primary Hospitals.

Furthermore, the Bobonong area would be training 100 contact tracing personnel, 50 per day, for deployment in the villages of Bobonong constituency to respond to contact tracing and community testing call when required.

“The 100 currently undergoing training in Bobonong was part of a total 10 000 national contact tracers trainees,” Dr Mulomba said.

Responding to councillors questions, Dr Mulomba indicated that he expected a consignment of infra-red thermometers that would be distributed to all clinics, with busier clinics like Mabeleng and Tsetsebjwe receiving two each.

He allayed fears that research had cleared the infra-red thermometers as safe for use on humans.

He also indicated that personal protective equipment was ready in case of a surge in positive cases.

Councillors challenged the logic of opening public transport vehicles to carry loading capacity while simultaneously preaching social distancing.

Their argument was that the distance and crowing in the buses compromised calls for social distancing.

Some argued that it was illogical to have learners go to school in a full school bus only to practice social distancing at school.

In his brief, Dr Mulomba informed councillors that as of Monday, Botswana had recorded only 42 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the first case on March 30.

He said the 42 cases were spread across seven regions with greater Gaborone having the majority of the cases.

Dr Mulomba also informed councillors that Botswana remained one of Africa’s least impacted countries.

“This has not happened by accident, but through drastic measures including strict lockdown,” said Dr Mulomba, adding all employees were back to work under phase three. Ends