•NURSES, MEDIA UNIONS CALL ON GOVT TO FIRE TOP HEALTH OFFICIALS
In a strong worded letter of demand the Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) has called on government to with immediate effect dismiss the Director of Health and Wellness Malaki Tshipayagae from work
The call was made after the announcement by the Minister of Health and Wellness Lemogang kwape that Botswana as of April 9th 2020 registered seven new cases of COVID-19 positive persons, one of whom was a nurse who was part of the team that screened members of parliament who attended the extra ordinary seating on Wednesday.
This nurses union argued that the Director had blundered by exposing members of parliament, parliament staff, media as well as the President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi to possibly contacting corona virus.
BONU believes that through the Minister and the Director MoH has not been following its own set rules.
“The Ministry of Health and Wellness through its director and Minister has been preaching on the importance of short meetings (2 hours), few people (less than 10), staying home, 1 m distance rule as well as touching of face, These measures apply to everyone including the leadership of the country,” a press statement signed by the BONU President Obonolo Rahube reads in part.
The statement further states that, “The Director of Health Dr. Malaki Tshipayagae must step down as he is unfit to lead under the trying times like this and he has failed to protect the parliament including the President of this nation.”
Last week the union slapped Government with an intention to sue citing mistreatment of health workers.
Government in response had since resorted to a mandatory isolation of nurses from their families during the period.
Meanwhile President of Botswana Media allied workers Union (BOMAWU), Phillimon Mmeso also shares the same sentiments.
Some of the journalists who were on duty have also been exposed and have since been advised to go on self-imposed quarantine.
“We are disappointed with the Ministry of Health officials for exposing a lot of people including the media workers to VOCID -19 by recklessly deploying someone who was from the red zone to test MPs. It is clear that there is a severe drought of thinking at the committee spearheading the pandemic and we call on the President to replace them with immediate effect,” Mmeso said.