21 Oct 2020

The Ministry of Health and Wellness has pleaded with Ntlo ya Dikgosi members to assist in spreading COVID-19 prevention messages to ensure community compliance. 

Updating Ntlo ya Dikgosi members on actions the ministry had taken since the pandemic struck, community health services officer, Mr Samuel Kolane outlined the publicity, advocacy and social mobilisation plan to combat COVID-19.

He said it entailed mobilising community leaders such as dikgosi, MPs, councillors, faith based organisations and other key stakeholders to not only solicit support, but also to build social capital for community ownership since the enormity of the scourge buttressed the need for concerted efforts.

Mr Kolane said some of the challenges facing the ministry included poor compliance by community members, limited supply of COVID-19 commodities due to global supply chain limitations and lack of appropriate port health structures at most ports of entry.

Other challenges were weak collaboration between government and the community, academia, World Health Organisation, private sector and other stakeholders as well as delays in provision of funding, he said.

Mr Kolane said a lot of lessons had been learnt from the ministry’s response to the pandemic which should improve future responses.

He said one such lesson had resulted in the establishment of a permanent structure called the Botswana Public Health Institute. 

The institute, he said,  would encompass an emergency operation centre for speedy response to all public health emergencies. 

“We have built up capacity for SARS COVID testing, with nine testing centres already established. There is also talk of looking into the amendment of the Public Health Act, to enable us to better respond to any future emergencies,” he said. 

Dikgosi expressed appreciation for the presentation as well as the ministry’s efforts in fighting the pandemic and bringing them, together with other stakeholders, on board to assist in the fight. Ends