Covid-19 Blues: Botswana must urgently publish a clear vaccine roll-out plan
Friday, August 13, 2021 | 170 Views |
In the past few weeks, Botswana has recorded some of the highest Covid-19 transmission rates on the African continent. This debilitating third wave of infections has come at a time when the country’s inhabitants remain inadequately protected, with only 5.5% of the population fully vaccinated and a further 4.8% having received a single vaccine dose. Hospital mortuaries are reportedly at maximum capacity and deaths as a result of Covid-19 continue to rise.
In late July, infections in Botswana reached their peak. The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that the country registered 4,566 new cases on 30 July, with a reported positivity rate of 641 infections per 100,000 people in the preceding seven days. Compounding the country’s low vaccination rate, Botswana now also faces the unenviable situation of having a very low Covid-19 vaccine supply.
The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...