23 Nov 2020

 Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) has registered three more COVID-19 cases during the ongoing community testing survey aimed at containing the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr Sandra Maripe revealed this when presenting a Health Planning report during the District Development Committee (DDC) meeting, noting that the cases were diagnosed on November 19.

She explained that currently they had four active cases bringing to 29 the total number of positive cases registered. Out of 29, she added, 25 patients had fully recovered.

Dr Maripe further explained that they had 22 people in quarantine of which nine were home quarantined while 13 were in facility based quarantines.

Meanwhile, the community testing campaign commenced on October 12 and will run up until December 31, 2020. The campaign is being conducted in Maun, Gumare and Seronga. 

Community testing is expected to assist in quick identification of cases, quick testing as well as immediate isolation to prevent spread. It also aims to find the intensity and geographic spread of the disease as well as to get prevalence of the pandemic across all the zones. 

Dr Maripe further told the meeting that they had started testing of samples at the new laboratory on November 4,. 

She also acknowledged that the Maun International Airport was adhering to health protocols following the pronouncement by government to allow direct chartered flights into Ngamiland.

The facility, she said had so far received four international tourists and COVID-19 protocols were highly observed.

Dr Maripe encouraged all to continue practicing the laid prevention measures such as wearing of masks, washing of hands all the time and observing social distancing to beat the pandemic. 

With regard to the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) exercise, she revealed that the exercise was on going, stating that their target was 85 per cent but currently, Ngami’s coverage stood at 60 per cent while Okavango’s coverage stood at 73 per cent.

The annual campaign which started October this year aimed to tackle the malaria epidemic in the district and would come to an end in December. Dr Maripe appealed to the general public to cooperate with the spraying teams. 

IRS coverage, she said remained a challenge in the district as most communities are not cooperative. 

The spraying teams, she said had already experienced lack of cooperation as some people refused to open their houses.

DDC meeting also learnt that 183 children aged below 12 years had been enrolled in ARV treatment while two born babies tested HIV positive. 

Dr Maripe observed that men were still dragging their feet to undertake HIV testing. 

The gathering also learnt that transport remained a major challenge to deliver quality service and meet the community’s expectations.

She revealed that the district did not reach the set target of 100 per cent mobile stops due to shortage of transport. 

In Ngamiland, she said they had 30 mobile stops but they managed only 18 while in Okavango they had 31 mobile stops and 28 were active.

She cited COVID-19 pandemic as a challenge to providing mobile stop services. Ends