Swiss, Botswana laboratories to collaborate

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 13, 2023 06:00

Berset, who is on a state visit in the country, said this would help scientists identify viruses or variants quickly as a way of saving lives.

The Swiss health system is one of the world's best and Berset once held the Minister of Health portfolio before he became the President.

“The Swiss Ambassador should help in speeding up the process of ensuring that this laboratory and some of the health laboratories talk directly and find ways of helping each other. There must be a collaboration between the laboratories.

I like the fact that the laboratory managed to shift from doing only researches on HIV/AIDS to focusing on other things like COVID-19 amongst others during the pandemic. I have no doubt that the laboratory could do more and help the country as well as other neighbouring countries. As for my country, we are willing to help where possible,” Berset said.

He, however, emphasised: "It must be noted that the role of the scientist is to share information or results of any detection of any bacteria or virus to the community." He said the information helps the residents of that community to know how to conduct themselves and also to take advice from health workers seriously.

Additionally, if capacity building is strengthened, public health issues would efficiently be dealt with whether regionally or within that country. While still at Botswana Harvard Partnership Laboratory briefing President Berset, one of the researchers Dr Sikhuile Moyo said they have now started to do testing for monkey pox in their laboratory.

“At first we have been taking our samples for monkey pox to South Africa. We are now testing monkey pox here unlike before. The government has bought all the necessary equipment for that. "COVID-19 was a blessing in disguise since it taught us to try our best to do some of the things at home and to buy some of the technology that we might need to run certain tests.

"We want to thank your government for its assistance during the pandemic. The collaboration will help us a lot and exchange programmes,” Moyo said. Health Assistant Minister Sethomo Lelatisitswe further informed the Swiss President that it is good for him to have come to appreciate first-hand the scientific research that led to the discovery of the Omicron variant.

The Assistant Minister said the steering committee is the one which will help them identify some of the areas that the Swiss could help with for the health sector. “Currently, the collaboration will help our doctors learn some of the things in Switzerland and they will also come here to learn some. This will help us in areas like capacity-building also for technology.

"I, therefore, wish to commit to this gathering, which has highlighted our challenges and strategies for development, particularly in diagnostic testing, disease surveillance, and service delivery as provided at our quaternary health facility, operationalising the agreement as provided by the declaration of intent will be our highest priority,” he had said.

Meanwhile, the two countries cooperate in various areas such as agriculture, defence, education, health, immigration, and trade and investment. Several agreements have also been signed by both parties, which include a Memorandum of Understanding between the Botswana International University of Science and Technology and the University de Lausanne signed in 2018.

In 2019, an agreement on mutual visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport bearers was signed between the Swiss Federal Council and the Botswana government.