11 Oct 2020

 Ministry of Health and Wellness permanent secretary, Mr Kabelo Ebineng says Maun COVID-19 laboratory functionality is critical in re-opening tourism in the North West District.

Mr Ebineng made the remarks during a tour of the laboratory that is under construction at Matshwane Clinic, a COVID-19 isolation centre in Maun.

The tour was also graced by the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration assistant minister, Mr Dumizweni Mthimkhulu and the ministry’s permanent secretary and deputy permanent secretary, Mr Thato Raphaka and Ms Emma Peloetletse respectively.

Mr Ebineng noted that the northern region, which was a tourism prime area, was negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

He, therefore, said the laboratory should be well equipped to link the North West and other regions.

Mr Ebineng said re-opening tourism would lead to a large population coming to the North West region and therefore, chances of COVID-19 spreading might increase.

He also spoke of the need for an isolation centre in the Okavango Delta, which would service tourism facilities around the delta.

For his part, Dr Madise Mine from the National Health Laboratory said the laboratory in Maun would have a capacity to handle 1 300 to 1 400 specimens per day, which equals about 9 100 per week.

Dr Mine noted that human resource as data clerks and technologists would have to be increased, to allow staff to rotate.

In her remarks, the Ngami Regional District Health Management Team (RHMT) acting head, Dr Sandra Maripe said the lab construction that was expected to take seven weeks began on September 28.

Dr Maripe noted that Matshwane Clinic, which had a seven-bed isolation centre for COVID-19 patients, would also house the COVID-19 laboratory to receive specimen from the North West region.

She said Maun General Hospital would provide 35 additional rooms for isolation, 32 rooms availed at Botswana Open University in Maun and 60 rooms at Botswana Wildlife Training Institute (BWTI).

She, however, said that Maun General Hospital rooms were yet to be electrified, an exercise expected to be complete by October 30 while the BWTI rooms were also under renovation.

Regarding tourism in the North West region, Dr Maripe said the district was prepared and had a response team, adding that the district was divided into four clusters being Maun, Bojanala, Sehithwa and Nhabe.

Dr Maripe said the Ngami RHMT collaborated with the Hospitality and Tourism Association and also had mobile stops to reach tourism facilities around the Okavango Delta. ends