05 Dec 2021

Duex Health and Premier Gold Resources, both local companies, last Friday donated nebulizer masks and oxygen concentrators to the Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW) 

When receiving the gifts in Gaborone, Assistant Minister, Mr Setlhomo Lelatisitswe thanked the companies for the generous gesture that he said would help in the fight against COVID-19. Minister Lelatisitswe said the recent discovery of the Omicron variant had demonstrated that the war against COVID-19 was far from over. 

The donation was as such of significant value in the fight, he said. “On behalf of the Government of Botswana, I would like to thank you for your assistance in strengthening the health facilities and I urge everyone to continue taking the responsibility of observing COVID-19 protocols,” Mr Lelatisitswe said. 

Handing over the masks, Duex Health director, Mr Bape Malanga said the donation was in appreciation of the health challenges the country was currently facing. 

He said they strongly believed that the private sector needed to actively compliment government’s efforts in every possible way. 

Mr Malanga said the health sector was a very important part of the economy especially during the challenging times of COVID-19 and it needed to be facilitated to wage war against the virus. 

Premier Gold Resources country secretary, Mr Thabo Bagwasi who donated 125 oxygen concentrators valued at more than P800 000, commended the country’s leadership for their early and ongoing response to COVID-19. 

“The Government of Botswana’s early and ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic has been magnificently robust and I have a strong belief that what we are doing here will help ensure that this robust response continues,” he said. 

He said the devices were critical to the country’s response to COVID-19, particularly with the emergence of the new omicron variant. 

He explained the donation was made possible by the generosity of Premier Gold Resources shareholders in Botswana and Canada. 

He said PGR was an exploration company with minerals prospecting rights in Botswana. He said the challenges the country was going through needed continued support from those with capability. BOPA