25 Oct 2020

Matsiloje isolation centre in greater Francistown is expected to start operations this week.

In an interview, Greater Francistown District Health Management Team coordinator, Dr Botshelo Kgwaadira, said the centre was awaiting mattresses from Gaborone to increase its capacity from 28 to 168.  

He, however, said the centre was still faced with a challenge of unavailability of a catering apartment since the current kitchen was being used by Botswana Defense Force personnel.

Dr Kgwaadira noted that an agreement had been made with Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital to provide food to patients at the centre.

He said plans were underway to facilitate for a dining hall at the centre to be changed into a kitchen.

Dr Kgwaadira said they also intended to introduce several testing centres for COVID-19 to augment Ntshe isolation centre.

He stated that Francistown had registered 283 cumulative cases of which 52 were active cases with four being new cases.

Dr Kgwaadira added that there were 46 COVID-19 patients at Ntshe isolation centre with six on home isolated.

He said home isolation was the route that they were planning to take as lately home assessments was done and those at home isolation were being checked regularly to ensure they complied.

Dr Kgwaadira also highlighted that there were 60 quarantined people with two pregnant women in various identified quarantine places and out of the figure, four had been discharged.

However, the coordinator said of COVID-19 cases in the city were slowly decreasing according to a recent survey. Ends