Inside Botswana's State of Emergency Extension
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THE AFRICAN STORY HAPPY!!HAPPY!! INDEPENDENCEINDEPENDENCE DAYDAY BOTSWANA!BOTSWANA! ISSUE NUMBER 739 VOLUME 2 28 SEP - 04 OCTO 2020 Drone technology INSIDE BOTSWANA’S helps boost healthcare supply STATE OF EMERGENCY chains in Africa EXTENSION • Grappling with page 3 growing Covid-19 cases Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi Wealth in Africa: Home seeks to extend state of ownership looming Emergency by another 6 crisis months page 8 Brady Armstrong; Botswana’s Motorcycle Racing Virtuoso page 16 2 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 28 Sep - 04 Octo 2020 THE AFRICAN STORY News, Finance, Travel and Sport Telephone: (267) 3933 805/6. E-mail: newsdesk@echo. co.bw Advertising Telephone: (267) 3933 805/6 E-mail: [email protected] Sales & Marketing Manager Ruele Ramoeng [email protected] Editor Bright Kholi [email protected] Head of Design Ame Kolobetso ‘Inside Botswana’s [email protected] Distribution & Circulation Mogapi Ketletseng [email protected] Echo is published by YMH Publishing State of Emergency YMH Publishing, Unit 3, Kgale Court, Plot 128, GIFP, Gaborone Postal address: P O BOX 840, Gaborone, Botswana extension’ Telephone: (267) 3933 805/6. E-mail: [email protected] www.echo.co.bw At a time when some of extension. One opposition from neighbouring South Africa. made an update in which he Botswana’s neighbours are member Dithapelo Keorapetse Currently Botswana is battling said non-essential movement DISCLAIMER: easing their State of Emergency of the main Opposition Umbrella local transmission which has accross zones will no longer be Echo Newspaper welcomes concise letters from readers. regulations and even exiting for Democratic Change has said seen number of cases and deaths tolerated, and that those who Letters must carry the completely, Botswana President he is opposed to the extension related deaths go up. had obtained permits should re full name and address of Mokgweetsi Masisi has sought because nothing was achieved The Coordinator of the apply as they were not valid. He the sender. Letters must to extend the country’s State which could not have been with country’s Covid-19 Task Team, Dr however then sent a press release conform to the laws of of Emergency by a further six a State of Emergency. Kereng Masupu said on Thursday the following day correcting Botswana and to the Press Council of Botswana’s Code months. “The only thing we saw was last week that local cases stood his initial statement and that Of Ethics. Letters will also be The National Assembly of unprecedented elite corruption,” at 1730, with 701 recovers permits will be given on a case edited for length, libel and Botswana meets today (Monday) he said. and 16 deaths. He said there by case basis, and the new travel language. to endorse President Mokgweetsi Botswana started off with were 1013 recoveries. Masupu protocols will be issued today. Masisi’s request to extent the very low cases of Covid-19 in indicated that the increase in The updates by the two State of Emergency by a further the region while its neighbours local transmission is attributed members if the Task Team six months to fight Covid-19, and cases skyrocketed. South Africa to people no adhering to covid was interpreted that to mean observers say is highly unlikely has seen its numbers cross the -19 protocols set out to control that another lockdown was that Parliament will reject the 600 000-half mark with over 16 the disease. Masupu the urged looming immediately after request. 000 deaths, becoming the fifth the nation to avoid unnecessary the endorsement of the SOE Masisi’s ruling Botswana in the world when it comes to travel as the Independence extension later today. Fears of Democratic Party (BDP) Covid-19. Holidays come up. another lock down was dismissed commands a majority in the The Botswana national Hard on the heals of an update by Tshipiyagae. country’s Parliament and Covid-19 Presidential task of the update by Masupu, on Read more Echo whatever the President seeks team had among other control Friday Director of Health Services stories on our endorsed get an outright support measures divided the country Dr Malaki Tshipiyagae also Facebook page by from his MPs. The Opposition into Covid zones and required in Parliament had rejected the people to apply for interzonal scanning the QR SOE that was effected in April, permits to travel, and also code below with arguing that the six months was emphasised on the observance your mobile phone too long to allow the President to of health protocols like washing rule under a state of emergency. of hands with soap, social They also posited that a State of distancing and making the Emergency could open room wearing of masks compulsory. for corrupt practices by the Local transmission was also government. There also have very low and contact tracing fears of encroachment on the civil in the country was seen to win liberties of the public as members the day. However, the numbers of the security forces are engaged started rising, most of which to enforce SOE regulations. were import cases reported at Some MP in the opposition the borders. These cases were have indicated that they are found on truck drivers who opposed the request for another were bringing essentials mainly Echo Newspaper 28 Sep - 04 Octo 2020 Echo Report 3 Since the drones do not include cameras, Nkosi says privacy is not an issue, and to date, there have been no safety problems. The drones are not operating within a 15km radius of an airport, he states. Nkosi believes that it is only a matter of time before many countries and communities adopt drones for deliveries, even in urban areas. He says that in the DRC’s capital Kinshasa, the blood transfusion service is exploring the use of drones for urgent deliveries of lifesaving blood due to the city’s poor infrastructure and traffic congestion. The inaugural Africa Supply Chain in Action Conference and Exhibition was one of Africa’s biggest online event for the Drone technology helps boost healthcare supply chain and procurement profession, bringing together hundreds of delegates from supply chains in Africa around the continent. “The Covid-19 crisis has put the Health workers serving story, a project focused on getting the DRC’s northwest province of motorcycle or 4 x 4 vehicle. spotlight on supply chains remote communities in the vaccines and supplies to hard- Équateur. “This is a province with Studies are underway to assess and pushed supply chain Democratic Republic of Congo to-reach rural communities, many geographical challenges. It the affordability of drones versus professionals to their limits. (DRC) must often undertake however, the applications of has 18 health districts, more than conventional transport in other Expertise in supply chain and a six-day return journey to drones in healthcare will extend half of which are only accessible areas. He notes that the drones procurement management, collect vaccines, traversing to congested cities, too. by river. This makes the supply being used can fly up to 80km logistics and distribution has dense tropical forests and often VillageReach is a non- chain and transportation of at a speed of up to 115km per never been more important the raging Congo River and its governmental organisation that is vaccines from the provincial hour. “The technology is still than it is today. The imperative tributaries. Drone technology is striving to improve communities’ storage to the remote health developing, so we can expect to ensure that businesses and offering a lifesaving solution to access to healthcare and life- storage facilities exceedingly fewer limitations in the future. economies can survive and thrive the challenges, including helping saving medicines and vaccines in difficult, especially during the While our drones can fly up to beyond Covid-19 gave rise to to ensure that cold chains are remote rural areas in developing rainy season when there is often 80km, we are setting up ‘refilling this important event and the maintained, and vaccine quality countries. In the DRC, with flooding.” stations’ to reach health facilities collaboration between co-hosts is not compromised. funding from Gavi (The Vaccine A round trip to the Équateur beyond 80km. Sapics and Smart Procurement,” In a presentation at the recent Alliance), VillageReach, in province, which involves taking For instance, if the health says Keabetswe Mpane, Sapics Africa Supply Chain in Action partnership with the Ministry a non-motorised boat down a facility is located 400km from president. virtual conference, which was of Health and the Civil Aviation river, can take up to six hours. the distribution centre or The event forms the foundation hosted by The Professional Body Authority of the DRC, is using The drones completed the one- warehouse, there will be five of the ASCAnation, which for Supply Chain Management drones to transport vaccines way journey in just 20 minutes. stations where the drone will will provide supply chain (Sapics) and Smart Procurement, and other supplies to isolated Nkosi explains that the drones land after 80km and the local professionals across Africa with Freddy Nkosi, DRC country villages and communities. are only being deployed for the team will change the battery to a platform from which their director for VillageReach, shared Nkosi says that the Drones for hardest to reach locations in the enable the drone to fly to the voices can be heard. the Drones for Health success Health project is being piloted in DRC, which are inaccessible by next station.” (Bizcom.) 4 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 28 Sep - 04 Octo 2020 provides for transitional arrangements. These enable the transfer to it of certain provisions from the EU-SADC EPA.