13 Apr 2021

Moshupa Sub-district COVID-19 vaccination champion, Ms Ponatshego Tshiping has lauded government for choosing to safeguard people’s lives.

Speaking during the COVID-19 vaccine kick start in Moshupa on Monday, she said government had done everything in its power to avail the vaccine, despite budgetary constraints.

Ms Tshiping, who is also specially nominated councillor, said although infrastructural development was paramount, the people’s lives first approach applied by the government during the pandemic deserved applause.

Revealing that she had taken the vaccine and was not experiencing any side effects, she thus encouraged other eligible residents to follow her example.

Ms Tshiping also advised the nation to lean on God during these trying times.

Another COVID-19 vaccination champion of the sub-district, Kgosi Kgabosetso Mosielele of Moshupa thanked government for finding ways of safeguarding people’s lives, despite the diminishing resources.

He implored the sub-district residents to embrace and trust the vaccine, saying it was Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority approved and therefore would serve the intended purpose.

He urged those below the 75 years’ threshold to be patient as their turn would come.

Kgosi Mosielele also emphasised that vaccination did not replace the set COVID-19 health protocols, urging people to continue washing their hands with soap and clean water, sanitizing, practicing social distancing and wearing masks.

Southern region’s District Health Management Team (DHMT)coordinator, Ms Josephine Mosimanewakgosi said in an interview, on the sidelines of the event, that the vaccination exercise started in Kanye on Friday, with 89 elderly people vaccinated.

She said six of those were followed and vaccinated at their homes as they were under the home-based care programme, while the rest received their doses at Kanye main kgotla.

Ms Mosimanewakgosi said her area of jurisdiction had received 2 680 doses of the vaccine, 2 120 of which were allocated to Kanye and Moshupa, Mabutsane 240 and Jwaneng 320.

She said the Moshupa Sub-district DHMT would have crews spread throughout the sub-region to assist the elderly, as some were visually challenged, while others were under home-based care.

She said they had noted that Batswana were ready for vaccination, adding that after finishing the first batch of the 75 years and above, they would cascade the vaccination to lower ages until completion of the cycle.

She thus implored the populace to take the vaccine, as the positives far outweighed side effects. Ends