04 Feb 2021

Dikgosi and Village Development Committees in Maun have been asked to intensify efforts in the fight against COVID-19 reportedly spreading at an alarming rate in the area.

  Speaking in a meeting with dikgosi in Maun on February 3, Ngami Regional Health Management Team (RHMT) acting coordinator Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe said by January 31, a total of 1 268 people were on home quarantine.

By the same date,  635 cases had been registered with 181 of them active, she said.

She said 19 patients were at Letsholathebe isolation ward which had a capacity of 22 beds while 28 were admitted at the 77-bed Maun Rest Camp.

Dr Maripe-Ebutswe expressed concern about people who violated home isolation rules by leaving their homes before the  period set for confinement elapsed which endangered lives.

The other concern, she said, was with regard to social gatherings in particular funerals,weddings and church services where people exceeded the stipulated number of attendants.

Regarding funerals of COVID-19 victims, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said prayers should only be held by family members, there should be no viewing of the corpse while the burial service should take strictly two hours.

Commenting, Batawana deputy chief representative Kgosi Oleyo Ledimo complained that food was still being provided at funerals despite the practice having been stopped as a way of curbing the spread of COVID-19.

Kgosi Ledimo also expressed displeasure at people who continued with their daily routines of going shopping and visiting relatives while on isolation.

Another speaker, Kgosi Rabosigo Rabosigo of Shageng, called for the inclusion of dikgosi in the district COVID-19 structure.

The move would help in community mobilisation, he said. 

Responding to some questions, Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said home isolation remained an option for those with the capability.

In his remarks, Kgosing Ward councillor Mr Letsweletse Sebati urged the health management team to also engage pastors saying some of them flouted COVID-19 rules. ends