20 Dec 2020

Batswana have been acknowledged for taking responsibility in supporting government efforts in containing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Presenting COVID-19 donations masks to the value of US$29 631 from Jack Ma Foundation and Alibaba Foundation to the ministry of Health and Wellness in Gaborone on Friday, First lady, Ms Neo Masisi said Batswana had impressed many the world over by observing health protocols and regulations put in place to control Coronavirus spread.

She however, said that it did not mean that they should be complacent going forward as there were still rising cases on daily basis.

She also expressed gratitude for the efforts and sacrifice displayed by frontline workers in the fight against the pandemic, adding that they continued to risk their lives for the good of the nation.

Ms Masisi pointed out that while the nation awaited with hope for COVID-19 vaccine, all must remain vigilant and play their part in reducing the spread of the virus, especially during the festive season.

“What irony, by keeping away from one another we will be showing that we care and love one another,” she said.

She called for people to rather opt for communication through technology where possible and urged all to continue observing COVID-19 protocols by practicing social distancing, washing their hands with soap, sanitizing and wearing masks appropriately in public.  

Ms Masisi stated that there was no single country that could fight COVID-19 pandemic in isolation, as such Botswana needed to forge cross-sectoral partnerships at local, national and global level in order to effectively mitigate the spread and transmission of the disease.

She therefore expressed gratitude to Jack Ma and Alibaba Foundation for partnering with Botswana in the fight against COVID-19 and donating yet another consignment, which included supplies for children, ‘an often forgotten demographic’.

Ms Masisi pointed out that  Jack Ma was among the first philanthropists to take the lead in supporting Africa’s efforts to fight the deadly pandemic, saying Botswana had from the very beginning benefited from Alibaba support and in that regard received medical supplies, which had significantly helped Botswana to combat coronavirus.

She expressed appreciation for the Organisation of African First Ladies for Development (OAFLAD), for providing Africa’s First Ladies with the opportunity to meaningfully participate in the development of the continent.

She said the organisation had in many ways helped First Ladies to play a significant role in the fight against COVID-19.

She said COVID-19 was a pandemic that knew no boundaries and did not discriminate as evidenced by its rapid spread across countries.

For his part, Minister of Basic Education, Mr Fedelis Molao expressed appreciation to have educators and learners earmarked as part of beneficiaries of the children’s face masks and N95 face masks.

He said the gifts came at a time when the education sector was facing several challenges, especially with COVID-19.

The minister congratulated learners for putting up their best effort as evidenced by the just released PSLE results.

He said the donation came at a time when schools countrywide were being proposed for reopening in January 2021, adding that the donation would go a long way in  protecting both educators and learners against the risk of COVID-19 transmission.

Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Edwin Dikoloti expressed gratitude to the First Lady and her network; The United Nations World Food Programme in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and the Jack Ma and Alibaba foundations for their generous support to Botswana’s effort in the response to COVID-19 pandemic.

He said the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) donation remained a critical commodity in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic and that the masks would surely assist in ensuring that the children and frontline workers who were at high risk of exposure were protected.

He highlighted that government valued the support from partners, adding that the support went a long way in the fight against COVID-19, whose cases continued to increase on daily basis.

Dr Dikoloti also extended gratitude to Botswana Fibre Networks (BOFINET) for donating a temperature scanning device worth P60 000. He said the health ministry needed such equipment during this time when the travel restrictions had been lifted.

The BOFINET chairperson, Ms Pelani Siwawa-Ndai said the thermal imaging camera donation was a much needed and pertinent contribution as it was going to aid the public and government in the prevention of COVID -19.  

She said the camera was a high tech and efficient device that would be used to measure a human body temperature through the human forehead and face temperature.

She said the device could capture temperatures of 15-20 people at a time.

She indicated that BOFINET received the device from their partners, Huawei Botswana and saw found it necessary to donate it to the Ministry of Health and Wealth to utilise it to facilitate smooth travel either nationally between the zones or cross borders.

She further said the thermal imaging camera could detect elevated temperature through fever monitoring. ENDS