07 Feb 2022

Government will continue to prioritise COVID-19 for funding in the 2022/2023 financial year owing to the need to save Batswana from the pandemic.

Finance and economic development minister, Ms Peggy Serame, said this in her maiden national budget speech February 7.

Accordingly, she proposed one of the largest ministerial total recurrent budget allocation of over P10 billion for the Ministry of Health and Wellness to contain the COVID-19 pandemic.

The minister also indicated that as part of the national Reset Agenda priorities pronounced by President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi, national priorities shifted towards saving the population from the impact of COVID-19 alongside other priorities.

She added that the COVID-19 fight remained the responsibility of every citizen and resident as well as all sectors of the economy.

“It is therefore government’s objective to continue providing targeted initiatives through implementation of life-saving programmes in the public health sector,” Minister Serame said.

Again, she said, efforts to combat COVID-19 included establishment of a vaccine manufacturing plant, which would not only produce advanced COVID-19 vaccines but also those to address other diseases.

“This will enhance government to not only deal with COVID-19 but also provide resilience in the face of possible future pandemics, as well as facilitate the transfer of advanced biotechnology to Botswana.  The establishment of a manufacturing plant would further help establish Botswana’s place in regional pharmaceutical value chains and contribute to export diversification,” she said.

Furthermore, Ms Serame said in order to reduce severe illnesses, hospitalisation and deaths as a result of COVID-19 infections, government developed National Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP).

 And a vaccination programme commenced on March 26 last year. The NDVP, she said, was developed with the aim to attaining 80 per cent vaccination coverage of the eligible population by March this year.

To date, she said Botswana had achieved the target with regard to first dose vaccinations, thus giving Botswana one of the highest vaccination rates in Sub-Saharan Africa.

“The rollout is expected to rise as vaccination for age groups of 12-18 intensifies and the booster jab also commenced,” she said. ENDS