26 May 2021

Shortage of staff in clinics is a result of COVID-19 as some medical officers had to be seconded to isolation centres, he said.

 Speaking during a tour of Zwenshambe Health Post on Tuesday, Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said isolation centres that were not part of the National Development Plan had to be set up.

  He said they were capacitated with manpower and other resources some of which were pulled from existing health facilities.

Government, he said,  had made the fight against COVID-19 a priority by deploying most resources towards it but Botswana’s economy was feeling the pinch of the pandemic due to the fact that some income-generating avenues were not fully functional.

 Mr Lelatisitswe therefore implored health workers to continue working hard in the fight against COVID-19 despite the limited resources.

He commended Zwenshambe Health Post staff for ensuring residents were vaccinated against COVID-19 despite being thin on the ground.

Mr Lelatisitswe said the upgrading of the Zwenshambe health post to a clinic status,  which was planned for the current financial year, had been deferred and might be considered for 2022/23 if financial prospects improved.

The health post’s chief registered nurse, Ms Chidzani Boy, stated that the facility served the village’s population of 2 775 as well as 600 junior secondary school, 300 primary school and 300 brigade learners.

She said the secondary junior school experienced a surge in infections in February registering 19 cases.

The situation was contained, she said.    

Ms Boy said vaccination was ongoing with 210 people and five health staff so far vaccinated.

She said the biggest challenge was that the health post was too small yet offering all services.

MP for Tati West Mr Simon Moabi thanked the minister for visiting the health post which he said needed attention as it served a large population.

Mr Moabi said government should make upgrading the facility a priority once the COVID-19 pandemic was over.

Kgosi Moses Mabutho of Zwenshambe acknowledged that the Ministry of Health and Wellness was overwhelmed due to the pandemic hence the shortage of staff at the health post.

He said his people were COVID-19 compliant. Ends