Significant measles cases reports in Sefhophe/ Serule

ONALENNA MODIKWA
Staff Writer | Monday June 7, 2010 00:00

A significant number have been cases referred from Sefhophe and Serule clinics.

The majority are of school-going age with unknown vaccination status. Cumulatively about 97 cases have been suspected and notified through the department's weekly surveillance systems.

District Officer and Urban Development Committee official, Letlhogonolo Nkolane, has indicated that the district response is that clients with severe symptoms are currently isolated in Industrial clinic where the capacity to admit more than six patients is limited. 'Several rapid response team meetings have been convened to review district response and efforts to identify a more appropriate and bigger isolation facility have proved a daunting task.' He noted that community sensitisation is ongoing and consultative meetings with District Health Teams from Tonota and Bobirwa have been held to investigate and break the cycle of transmission at local level. 'The overall trend in weekly cases is downward and we still hope that the trend could be sustained.' 

Meanwhile, Selebi-Phikwe Town Council has managed to finish most of the projects that it has been implementing as of end of April 2010.

Some of the much-anticipated projects have already been handed over to the council by the constructors. The project for the design and construction of public pay-toilets is complete and was handed over to the council in March. However, some items of the projects that were not part of the contract are yet to be installed and funds will be sought as soon as possible to procure them.

The construction of the maternity wing at Sesame clinic is also complete and has been handed over to council.Nkolane has indicated that other items such as extra patient beds are still remaining since they are not part of the contract. 'Efforts are underway to acquire quotations for remaining items and prioritise them by the end of May.'

Nkolane indicated that the project to install tower lights began in January this year and though the towers have already been erected they are not yet connected to the power grid except one. Three tower lights have been erected in Botshabelo, one in Area U and another one in Orlando.  The overall construction of sewers, pump stations and pond linings has been completed and handed over to council in April.  The contractor is currently working on the remaining portions not reticulated in Ikageleng, Sesame and upgrading of Area U stilling chamber and lining of two ponds, which is part of the additional work. 'All upgrading is expected to take six months to complete.  The public and other governments are still lagging behind in connecting to the sewer lines.'

Nkolane indicated that it was resolved that it should be mandatory for all government institutions to be exemplary and connect to the sewer lines. The construction of office block and staff housing for Botswana Unified Revenue Services is currently in progress and at 75 percent completion. He noted that the construction of staff housing has been given the go ahead by Ministry of Lands and Housing and the council is currently waiting for a geotechnical survey for the construction to commence. The construction of 74 housing units by Botswana Housing Corporation in Phase1 is underway and the project was 42 percent behind schedule at the end of April due to delay in material supply.

However, maintenance of 189 BHC houses has also began with most of the work concentrated at Pimville location.Maintenance is carried out every five years.

Projects under Ipelegeng programme are still ongoing as of April when the new financial year commenced. None of them is complete. They include the general maintenance of a junior secondary school, maintenance of Botshabelo community hall, market stalls, cutting grass in council facilities, schools and open spaces as well as the maintenance of the airport that entails passenger terminal buildings and metrological offices. One councillor has called for serious monitoring of the Ipelegeng programme as those engaged are not willing to work and just sit under trees.