27 Sep 2020

Greater Francistown District Health Management Team Coordinator, Ms Bayengemali Munyere says sensitisation on screening is expected at all government and private entities offering services, including all local health facilities.

Ms Munyere told a Francistown Council meeting on September 24 that sensitisation on COVID-19 emerging issues was meant to assist individuals and organisations to implement the set protocols. Ms Munyere revealed that there was shortage of reagents, which resulted in delays in conducting contact tracing and  complaints.

She said that Ntshe Clinic had  a COVID-19 isolation centre with 18 beds, 10 within the main clinic and eight at the cabin behind the clinic.

 She said isolation was also done at private facilities and home.

Ms Munyere said Francistown had recorded 92 COVID-19 cases, with 62 active and in isolation, 29 recoveries and one death.

She said some schools were also affected, with both staff and learners testing positive.

The cases per school were: Francistown Senior Secondary School (FSSS) 35 pupils and one staff member; Mater Spei College 10; Selepa CJSS four pupils; Setlalekgosi CJSS two; Maradu Primary School one pupil and one member of staff; Selolwe one pupil and one staff member; Donga CJSS two pupil and one staff member.

On the other hand, Ms Munyere said the number of those quarantined per school were, Francistown Senior Secondary School 380, Mater Spei College 74, Selepa CJSS 37, Setlalekgosi CJSS 28 and Maradu Primary School 27.

Furthermore, she said that health facilities with clients or staff testing positive were; Itekeng Clinic three clients, Lapologang Clinic one client, Boikhutso Clinic one client, Tshwaragano Clinic one client and Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital four clients and two support staff.

She said that handling of facilities where positive cases had been identified included risk assessment conducted at all affected schools, disinfection of surfaces, education on infection prevention and control practices and assisting schools with examinations while pupils were in quarantine.

Ms Munyere said her department would continue with surveillance, receive community reporting irregular and unusual activities, adding that the challenge of illegal immigrants should be reported to the police as soon as they were detected.

In regard to resources, she said transport dedicated to COVID-19 activities was from DHMT, CTO, city council and BDF, which included two ambulances, two double cabs, five mini buses and a sedan.

She encouraged the community to always wear masks, maintain good hand hygiene at all time, sanitise work surfaces, maintain social distancing, avoid crowded places, limit numbers at funerals, weddings and churches and minimise unnecessary movement. ENDS