Illegal immigrants no threat to coronavirus fight
Ryder Gabathuse | Friday March 13, 2020 16:56
Francistown has its own peculiar circumstances, as besides its proximity to the border with Zimbabwe, the city is a gateway to the northern tourism destinations of the Okavango, Chobe, Ngamiland and others.
The city also offers a passageway for trucks en-route to Namibia, Zimbabwe, the DRC, Zambia from South Africa and other SADC countries without doubt leaving city dwellers vulnerable in the process.
The regular border jumpers who cross the border at un-gazetted points of entry into the city of Francistown and areas in its proximity, in search of economic opportunities, worsen the situation.
Mostly, Zimbabweans top the numbers of illegal border jumpers who find their way into Francistown following the collapse of the country’s economy many years ago. They are driven by the hope of landing elusive economic opportunities in Botswana.
Some of the illegal immigrants are regularly but illegally employed in various sectors in the city including at the cattle-posts around Francistown. It has become a norm for illegal immigrants to cross into Zimbabwe and come back without proper tests subjected to them at the regular points of entry.
Francistown District Health Management Team (DHMT) coordinator, Rose Munyere has however allayed fears of the city dwellers explaining in an interview this week that the district management team long activated a rapid response team on January 27.
Since then she said the team has been busy carrying out activities on preparedness and sensitisation. In other words, she said they have been on red alert.
The DHMT’s immediate response involved the city gatekeepers including the district commissioner’s office. The district commissioner activated the epidemic preparedness committee, which includes the town clerk, city mayor and dikgosi into action.
Munyere explained that public education activities included disaster preparedness committee, sensitisation of all the ward development committees and meetings at the dikgotla around Francistown.
Denying that they were resting on their laurels, Munyere said: “The DHMT started and continues to screen at the ports of entries at Matsiloje border, P.G Matante International Airport and the Francistown Railway Station.”
To the best of Munyere’s knowledge, the stakeholders are duly sensitised including the police, Botswana Unified Revenue Service, immigration personnel at the points of entry, through public education and other sensitisation methods.
As for people presenting with symptoms and no history of travel to the affected areas, “they are directed to the nearest health facility.”
“Those with symptoms and have been to affected areas or have been in contact with index patients should call 997 for assistance and will be taken to Ntshe clinic, which is designated as an isolation centre,” she said and added: “However, Ntshe continues open to the public as Francistown has no suspect nor confirmed case yet.
Greater Francistown DHMT encourages the public to practise preventive measures, which include:
- Frequently wash hands with soap and clean water or hand sanitiser where available
- Cover nose and mouth when sneezing with a flat elbow or tissue
- Avoid direct contact with anyone with cold or flu like symptoms
- If you have fever, cough or difficulty in breathing seek medical help and share travel history with the health care provider