Marina nurses panic as colleague goes on quarantine
Innocent Selatlhwa | Saturday April 11, 2020 15:00
Her boyfriend was amongst the seven new cases that were reported earlier this week taking the Botswana tally to 13. The male nurse’s positive results from the routine COVID-19 testing led to President Mokgweetsi Masisi, his Cabinet, Members of Parliament, Health Ministry officials and members of the media being sent on self-quarantine, as he was deployed to do screening at the Special Meeting of Parliament.
Following the announcement by Health and Wellness Minister Dr Lemogang Kwape of the new cases the next day, Director of Health Services Dr Malaki Tshipayagae told legislators that all those who attended Parliament the day before to self-quarantine. Four legislators were then taken into government quarantine as they went shopping instead of heading straight home as instructed.
Nurses at Marina expressed shock stating that they feel neglected. “The girlfriend to the Block 8 nurse works at Marina Female Medical ward. We were never briefed about her situation, but she is just not here. The nurses and patients who were in the ward have not been tested and it is business as usual except the fact that there are no more patients being admitted into the ward,” a source said.
Tshipayagae, however, said there was no reason for the nurses to panic. “The said (Marina) nurse has been placed into quarantine as she came into close contact with the said patient (Block 8 nurse). Nurses know procedures to follow to avoid transmission of the virus. We will only make any further move after the results of the (Marina) nurse come out,” he said.
Tshipayagae said it would be wrong if the ward closed. He said it should be business as usual until her results come out to know if she tested positive or not.