Vaccination for Corona Virus Disease (COVID-19) has been rolled out recently in Botswana and already it has been reported that close to thirteen thousand (13 000) individuals has already received their shots. However, the President of Alliance for Progressives (AP)- Ndaba Gaolathe says it is all in vain as long as health workers has not been vaccinated.
“No matter how safe and rewarding the fruits of vaccination to ourselves, it amounts to nothing if the very people to whom we run for refuge when we are ill are still not vaccinated. I am talking about our doctors, nurses, cleaners, security personnel and workers at our hospitals. We need to vaccinate all of them, before our own vaccination, and I mean all of them, including the youngest among them.” Gaolathe lamented. “It is terribly painful when we forget the very people who have sacrificed so much for us. It is painful that we are silent about the things that matter and assume it is someone elseβs responsibility to say βwait a little bit, we need to start with the doctors and nurses firstβ. No, its not the Governmentβs responsibility alone to make that a high priority. It has to be our responsibility too, each one of us, and all we need to do, is to raise our hands, in our little corners, and say ‘Please vaccinate our doctors, nurses and hospital workers today, not tomorrow’ ” he added.
According to the government, the first phase of the roll-out plan is aimed at people above the age of fifty-five (55) years of age and those with comorbities. The total shots of that Botswana had to in its disposal is Sixty-three thousand, and six hundred (63 600). Thirty thousand (30 000) was received from India, while Thirty-three thousand and six hundred (33 600) was received from the COVAX facility.
The Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness- Mr. Sethomo Lelatisitswe has mentioned last month that the total number of doctors and nurses who contracted COVID-19 since December last year to then was 42 and 276 respectively. The numbers has since increased, with about 5 deaths of doctors related to COVID-19 according to Botswana Doctors Union. A similar number of deaths has been recorded for the nurses.
“Write it on your walls, write it on your tweets, write it at your gates, put it in when the pastor asks you to pray, talk about it in the combis and on the radios – and it will happen. You will be surprised at your power, the power of collective voice. Those in authority will have no choice but to listen to these voices. I will repost this until doctors, nurses and hospital workers in every part of Botswana say to us βhold your horses, we have been vaccinated.β So far the Covid epicentres such as Sir Ketumile and Maun hospitals have not been vaccinated.” he Charged.
