04 Oct 2020

Ngamiland District Health Management Team (DHMT) has launched an initiative dubbed Find a Missing Child.

It aims at supporting children who were deprived of health services such as immunisation and testing. 

The DHMT expressed concern about escalating numbers of children who missed monthly child welfare care check ups and vaccinations, hence the initiative to reach out to the community. 

The health officers would embark on a door to door exercise to check if children had access to relevant health services. 

Ngamind DHMT also launched indoor residual spraying (IRS) in an effort to fight malaria.

Speaking during an event in Somelo recently, Ngamiland region, DHMT coordinator, Dr Malebogo Kebabonye said it was their mandate to provide quality health services as well as engaging and supporting communities to address issues of concern as far as their wellness was concerned.

She explained that health was a responsibility for all, therefore it was necessary to make sure relevant information was provided to communities so that they could be able to play their part in the fight against diseases.

She stated that the region had been hard hit by malaria and other health related infections, hence the need to come up with preventative measures such as IRS.

 Dr Kebabonye acknowledged that residents of Somelo showed they were taking responsibility of their health since the DHMT had not recorded any new infections of malaria for three consecutive years and applauded residents encouraging them to keep the good spirit of preventing diseases. 

She also pointed out that health service providers had promised to prevent deaths of children under five years.

Parents, she said, were also encouraged to ensure their children had access to health services.

Pharmacy superintendent and also Maun East cluster head, Mr Montamela Nkwe said the objective of the launch was to bring together all stakeholders to address health related issues as a unit.

He said it was critical to fight malaria as well as to support children who had been deprived of health services such as immunisation and testing.

Mr Nkwe called on the community to cooperate with health workers during the spraying exercise, adding that they should allow them into their houses. 

Failure to cooperate, he said would result in increasing of malaria cases in the district.

He pointed out that they were committed to deliver their mandate and ensure the community benefit from the services they offer.

Kgosi Komeng Mokhutshwane of Somelo encouraged residents to cooperate with health workers and allow them to spray so to prevent the spread of malaria. Ends