Coronavirus preparedness moves to Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital
Goitsemodimo Kaelo | Wednesday February 5, 2020 15:23
Botswana is among a group of African states including Kenya and Ivory Coast, which recently sent samples from suspected Coronavirus patients for confirmation in South Africa.
The country currently has five suspected cases and has not recorded a confirmed case as yet as results from the Regional Laboratory have not yet been released.
It is said that the five suspected cases were over the weekend moved from the initial designation facility at Block 8 clinic in Gaborone, to the state-of-the-art multimillion-pula 450-bed facility because of its capacity.
As one of the major isolation facilities identified in the country, the Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, which has been built to offer leading services in areas of radiation oncology as well as organ transplant, joins other facilities such as Ntshe clinic in Francistown, Matshwane clinic in Maun and the designated BURS facility in Kasane.
Meanwhile, a statement from the World Health Organisation (WHO) said it has provided PPE kits and has ordered digital thermometers and other essentials to support key preparedness and response activities such as screening and case management in assistance to the country.
It said WHO Representative, Dr Josephine Namboze and technical staff continue to provide technical guidance, training and support on a daily basis in all areas of preparedness and response.
“All staff including cleaners, security, immigration, revenue services, restaurant workers and others at ports of entry have been trained in hygiene and infection control while health staff have received comprehensive training from surveillance, infection control to case management,” read the statement.
It is said that Namboze has also joined the minister of Health and Wellness Dr Lemogang Kwape to tour key facilities including the Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in the capital Gaborone and a designated bigger isolation facility Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital in case of increasing numbers of people needing isolation and management.
According to the statement, the Chinese Embassy in Botswana is helping with translation of key documents into Chinese as large numbers of Chinese nationals coming into Botswana have difficulties understanding English.