22 Aug 2022

Bobirwa Sub-District Council has registered 230 cases of diarrhoea in a six-week period since the disease broke out in Botswana.

Council chairperson Mr Kgomotso Mmereki told a meeting yesterday that the cases were spread across the sub-district with the most affected villages being Bobonong, Tsetsebjwe, Mmadinare, Molalatau, Sefhophe, Gobojango and Robelela.

Expressing relief that no child had died due to the outbreak, Mr Mmereki said rapid response teams had been formed as one of the strategies to combat the disease.

“Let me take this opportunity to challenge all of us to assist the District Health Management Team (DHMT) when the need arises,” he said.

On other health-related matters, Mr Mmereki said DHMT would carry out some indoor residual spraying for the prevention of Malaria.

Recruitment of spray operators would be done through village leadership following the Community Acting Together to Eliminate Malaria Model, he said. The chairperson also informed his listeners that Greater Selebi Phikwe was experiencing a significant reduction in COVID-19 transmission.

“Currently, our region has as of August 11, registered zero active COVID-19 cases, zero COVID-19 admission and zero COVID-19 deaths,” he said.

He said against the vaccination target of 109 152 people in Greater Selebi Phikwe, 69 per cent had received the first dose, 66 per cent were fully vaccinated while 22 per cent had received the booster dose.

“Let me thank the government of Botswana for investing heavily in the health of our people and also thank all those who responded to the passionate call from the Ministry of Health requesting them to come for vaccination in order to save their lives,” he said. BOPA