A document seen by The Telegraph suggests that the government may pull the plug on civil servants who are resisting the jab by implementing mandatory Covid-19 vaccination.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness has already sent out correspondence to ministries and departments requesting them to compile a report on uptake of the coronavirus vaccination.
Responding to The Telegraph queries, the Ministry’s spokesperson Dr. Christopher Nyanga confirmed that, “It is true that the Ministry of Health and Wellness has requested for some information relating to the level of vaccine uptake among Government employees.”
He added that, “This was an internal communication sent to Government Ministries and Departments.”
The document warns that Botswana continues to have Covid-19 infections and the mutations also continue to develop, threatening the lives of Batswana. “Fortunately by January 2022, Government was able to procure enough vaccines to give primary vaccination as well as booster shots.”
According to the document, given that vaccination is one of the most efficient ways to combat Covid-19, Government has prioritized increasing uptake of vaccines. “Furthermore, vaccination induced immunity has been shown to reduce over time, hence the need to ensure that boosters are taken.”
The aim of this correspondence is to strongly advise you to encourage all categories (those who have never taken a vaccine, second dose and those who need a booster) of employees to take their vaccine uptake…” The first report should be submitted by 17 February 2022.
The document also warned that, “Covid-19 is still very present in our community,” adding that “as much as we did not have as much mortality with omicron as with Delta, the threat is real. It is through vaccination that we can make headway in saving Batswana.”
“In addition to the vaccination site that have already been set up in Greater Gaborone, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has set up vaccination site within the Ministry Headquarters, this is meant to take vaccines closer to the people,” the document states.
On some allegations that some civil servants and Batswana were reluctant or are resisting the jab and whether the ministry was aware of this, Nyanga said the “ministry can neither confirm nor deny the said allegations because it has as of now not yet received the reports it requested.”
Asked what the ministry’s position was on mandatory Covid-19 vaccination of all civil servants, Nyanga said, the ministry has not yet taken any position on the matter in question.
“The ministry has been engaged in an aggressive public education campaign to educate Batswana and residents of this country, about the advantages of Covid-19 vaccination. In the event the ministry adopts other strategies, such will also be communicated,” he said.
On whether Botswana was likely to have a situation whereby getting vaccinated would also be a prerequisite for allowing people on government premises, Nyanga said “the ministry was unable to make future predictions on possible interventions to avert the spread of Covid-19, however, any new strategies or changes that can be introduced in its approach to combating the spread of the disease, will be communicated,” he said.
The latest comes at a time when President Mokgweetsi Masisi has expressed fears that vaccine hesitancy will cost Botswana millions of Pula.
“One of my greatest fears is that millions of Pula spent on Covid-19 vaccines will go to waste. Some people seem hesitant to take the booster shots and some batches are about to expire in April,” he reportedly said when addressing an audience at Molepolole Prison.
The government has since made it mandatory that Botswana citizens unwilling to be vaccinated for Covid-19 would be liable for a fine of P5 000, a year in prison or both.
