Additional Allowance For Students Stranded In China

Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Monday February 24, 2020 16:35

 

Additional Allowance For Students Stranded In China

The Ministry of International Affairs and Cooperation said in a statement that this is part of the efforts to alleviate the plight of the students, while working on an evacuation plan. Currently, there are 31 Batswana students in Wuhan City. The students and their parents have been pleading with the government to evacuate them from the city, which has been put under lockdown since the outbreak of coronavirus.

While the Botswana and Chinese governments have reiterated that the students are receiving assistance, the students have complained consistently saying they are not receiving enough help.

The Ministry said government continues to monitor the plight of Botswana nationals in Wuhan City. It said that the temporary additional monthly allowance is for the purchase of basic necessities such as food, water and facemasks. The statement added that a local company would be engaged to procure those basic necessities and facilitate delivery to the students’ places of residence, as well as the provision of psychosocial support services.

“The relevant stakeholders should work out an evacuation plan of all Batswana in Wuhan City, which covers the state of preparedness for receiving the evacuees and the modalities of evacuation,” reads the statement. “The public is thus requested to exercise patience and understanding whilst this complex exercise is being undertaken. The public will be kept abreast about the status of implementation of these decisions.”

As of last Tuesday, China’s National Health Centre had 72,435 reports of confirmed cases on the Chinese mainland, with 1,868 deaths and 12,552 cured and discharged from hospital. In Botswana, there were five suspected cases of coronavirus, but the results for all came out negative.

Government said it appreciates the assistance rendered to Botswana citizens in Wuhan City by the Chinese government and reaffirmed its solidarity with the government of the People’s Republic of China.

“The Government of Botswana remains confident that as a result of China’s concerted efforts, the coronavirus, which is a public health emergency, will be contained and arrested in the shortest time possible.”