19 Dec 2021

 Ministry of Health and Wellness has launched a three-month  campaign to encourage the public to take personal responsibility for their health especially during the COVID-19 era.

  The minister, Dr Edwin Dikoloti told a media in Gaborone recently that the campaign, dubbed ‘Ke nna ke wena, My health my responsibility’,  was a continuation of the Arm Ready drive launched at the commencement of Botswana’s national vaccination programme in March.

The aim, he said, was to promote behaviour change and continue creating demand for COVID-19 vaccines.

“We want to encourage all those eligible for vaccination but are not yet vaccinated, to immediately visit the nearest vaccination site and receive their life-saving jab,” he said.

Dr Dikoloti said vaccination and observing all COVID-19 protocols of washing hands with clean water and soap or sanitising, wearing masks in public and social distancing remained the cornerstones of COVID-19 prevention even for new and emerging variants such as Omicron.

“I want to encourage all those still hesitating to go for COVID-19 vaccination to reflect once more on their position and think about their lives and those of their loved ones,” he said.

The minister also urged all those who had taken their first dose to take the second.

Dr Dikoloti said with the advent of Omicron, COVID-19 cases were on the rise.

“This fourth variant has also begun to knock on our door and therefore it is critical to strictly adhere to the COVID-19 health protocols,” Dr Dikoloti said.

He therefore urged the public to make COVID-19 prevention their personal responsibility and to take a stance that would not contribute to an increase in cases during the festive season.

Dr Dikoloti stated that strategy for bringing Batswana on board to help protect the country from COVID-19 was premised on a behaviour change communication approach.

“The approach encourages individuals and communities to introspect and analyse their conduct in relation to adhering to stipulated prevention measures and adopt behaviours that will facilitate prevention of COVID-19 transmission,” he said.

For her part, FHI 360, technical advisor, Dr Virginia Letsatsi-Modise said her organisation was dedicated to continually collaborating with the ministry to improve lives in lasting ways by advancing integrated and locally-driven solutions.

She said it had offered the ministry senior-level community-based and technical as well as operational advice in the fight against  COVID-19.

“We have provided technical support to the various COVID-19 campaigns that the ministry has had by offering health care workers as well as community engagement to the public and we commit to do more in the current campaign,” she said. Ends