21 Jul 2021

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has appealed to Batswana not to take their civil liberties for granted but police themselves against COVID-19.

Speaking during a  visit to Mochudi 1 Clinic July 21, Dr Masisi said instead of a national lockdown, people should follow health protocols.

He likened the COVID-19 pandemic to the HIV scourge  saying it thrived on the behaviour of individuals.

The purpose of Dr Masisi’s visit was to familiarise himself with the COVID-19 vaccine rollout and get firsthand information about the pandemic situation.

Briefing the President, public health specialist Dr Oratile Mfokeng-Sele expressed satisfaction  with vaccination turnout.

She said the community showed eagerness to be vaccinated adding that even people not covered under the current phase were coming forward.

Dr Mfokeng-Sele said  a total of 12 078 AstraZeneca, Sinovac and Pfizer doses had been received at the clinic.

Over 10 000 people in Kgatleng had been vaccinated with approximately 7 000 having received  their second dose, she said.

Turning to the infection rate, Dr Mfokeng-Sele said a surge in infections was currently being experienced with about 144 cases registered per day.

Comparing the Delta variant to the first strain detected in Botswana, she said while a person infected with the latter could infect  about three others, in the former’s case, the figure rose to as many as eight.

According to the specialist, people were now suffering from  ‘pandemic fatigue’ since they had been wearing masks and sanitizing for a long time.

She however said health personnel  continued encouraging them to adhere to set protocols.

Dr Mfokeng-Sele said given the high number of people turning up for vaccination and testing, the District Health Management Team had decided to reserve Clinic 2  solely for vaccination.

Decrying shortage of manpower, she said in some cases people could not be tested on the same day they turned up adding that requests for testing had shot up due the cold wave currently being experienced.

The deteriorating COVID-19 situation has left the district’s health sector reeling.

Speaking in an interview, Mochudi West MP Mmusi Kgafela described the situation at Deborah Retief Memorial Hospital, where a corpse awaited a doctor’s certification for a very long time, as heartbreaking.

Mr Kgafela, also investment, trade and industry minister, suggested that certification be outsourced to private practitioners as government medical facilities doctors had their hands full.

The MP donated blankets to the hospital emphasising that they be washed before use by the next patient. ENDS