18 Jun 2020

Botswana is still threatened by the COVID-19 pandemic since it shares borders with high risk countries such as South Africa, says Vice President Mr Slumber Tsogwane.

Precautionary measures should therefore continue to be upheld in order for the country to remain safe, he told the Palapye Administrative Authority leadership and senior government officials in Palapye yesterday.

Mr Tsogwane said the country was at risk given that it was landlocked.  

Batswana should therefore continue to comply with the COVID-19 health protocols.

Further, he commended the COVID 19 Presidential Task Force for keeping the country safe.

The vice president also commended frontline workers such as health sector personnel, disciplined forces, civil servants, dikgosi and community leaders for a job well done and Batswana  in general for keeping the deadly virus out of the country.

Palapye was praised for its good response to the outbreak noting that so far no COVID 19 case had been recorded though the area was close to  Martins Drift Border Gate, one of the busiest borders shared with South Africa which has more than 80 000  confirmed cases.  

He said the testing of specimens at Palapye Hospital would help speed up processes at the border gate.

Mr Tsogwane applauded the education sector and council authorities for their efforts in preparing schools for reopening.

All 51  Palapye institutions of learning, comprising 37 primary schools, 12 junior secondary and two senior secondary schools, register and take temperatures of learners, teachers and visitors, hand wash basins have been setup, maintenance or construction of new ablution blocks has taken place.

The schools also have sick bays and isolation points.

Deputy District Commissioner Mr Jane Moruti, COVID 19 task force team leader in the region, attributed achievements  to team work by all civil servants who were on duty during the lockdown.

He explained that COVID 19 awareness campaigns were undertaken, Serowe’s Sekgoma Memorial Hospital was converted into an isolation Center while Majestic Five Hotel, Cresta Botsalo and Desert Sands Hotel were turned into quarantine centres. He noted that 24 192 households were assessed to receive COVID 19 food relief packages out of which 21 500 were recommended and 99 per cent of them had benefitted.

 Vice President Tsogwane  also toured some schools in Palapye to appreciate measures the institutions had put in place in response to COVID-19 and reopening of schools. ENDS