27 Mar 2022

Parliament has been informed that 65 987 people have entered Botswana through gazetted ports of entry since the Public Health Order of February 14.

Answering a question on Thursday, health and wellness assistant minister, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said 9 682 were vaccinated at points of entry.

Gaborone Central MP, Mr Tumisang Mangwegape-Healy, had asked the minister to update Parliament on the number of people who had entered the country through gazette ports of entry since the inception of the Public Health Order on February 14.

Mr Mangwegape-Healy also wanted to know number of those vaccinated at the ports of entry as well as that of reported adverse effects from those vaccinated and if there were any mortalities reported.

He further wanted to know the procedure for reporting adverse effects and the nature of carrying out investigation following adverse effects.

“We are currently unable to compute the total number of adverse events noted in the period in question. There are various Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) committees across the country that receive any such reports and would then make assessments and recommend appropriate investigations to the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA).  I wish to assure members that at some time in future, a full briefing on AEFIs that were experienced in Botswana since we began our vaccination programme, will be made,” Mr Lelatisitswe said. 

The assistant minister also explained that AEFIs may or may not necessarily have a causal relationship with the use of the vaccine. 

“These adverse events can be a result of vaccine product, vaccine quality defect, immunisation error, anxiety about immunisation for example fainting or coincidental, that is, where the adverse event is caused by something other than the actual vaccine. These AEFIs can be minor, moderate or severe. The serious or severe reactions are those that can result in death or requires inpatient hospitalisation or even causing significant disability and other defects,” he said.

On how AEFIs were reported, Mr Lelatisitswe said clients notified health care workers at health facilities when they experienced any, after which an assessment would be done and a report sent to BoMRA led by the district AEFI committee. 

He added that the district AEFI committee would then assess reports and launch investigations for those that warranted further investigations. 

“The outcome of these investigations together with all reports not necessitating investigation will then be forwarded to national AEFI committee which will assess and determine if the vaccine had any contribution in the adverse events experienced,” he said. 

He indicated that in Botswana, the national AEFI committee, an independent committee consisting of different specialists, assessed casualties and serious adverse events to determine if they were indeed due to the vaccine.

“If AEFI warrants investigation, then such is launched and a final determination on causality is made following the findings of the investigation. The National AEFI committee also conducts causality assessment on any AEFI that has been investigated to conclude the investigation,” he added. 

He further indicated that a decision on the next course of action to take would be made and appropriate medical intervention for the client would be recommended and also decision on whether to stop or temporarily suspending the roll out of the vaccine involved. ends