THE AFRICAN STORY ADVERTISE WITH US DON’T BE LEFT BEHIND ISSUE NUMBER 772 VOLUME 2 07 - 13 JUNE 2021 Botswana’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout gets financial boost page 4 African Development Bank Group supports risk-based supervision for capital markets RISK OF COVID-19 SURGE THREATENS page 7 AFRICA’S HEALTH Informal food markets: what it FACILITIES takes to make them safer In the last two weeks, Africa recorded a 20% increase in cases compared with the previous fortnight page 13 2 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 07 June - 13 June 2021 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 [email protected] Distribution & Circulation Mogapi Ketletseng [email protected] Risk of COVID-19 surge threatens Echo is published by YMH Publishing YMH Publishing, Africa’s health facilities Unit 3, Kgale Court, Plot 128, GIFP, Gaborone The World Health Organisation manufacturers, as well as with Africa has 2.9% of cases globally, Since the onset of the Postal address: has warned that as the risk countries which have vaccinated it accounts for 3.7% of deaths. pandemic, WHO has worked P O BOX 840, of a surge in COVID-19 cases their high-risk groups to share A WHO survey carried out in around the clock and in Gaborone, increases, African countries doses. May found that in many African collaboration with countries Botswana Telephone: (267) 3933 805/6. must urgently boost critical “The threat of a third wave countries, crucial equipment and to ramp up COVID-19 treatment E-mail: [email protected] care capacity to prevent in Africa is real and rising. Our the health workforce required capacity by delivering essential www.echo.co.bw health facilities from being priority is clear – it’s crucial to handle severely ill COVID-19 medical supplies as well as health overwhelmed. This comes that we swiftly get vaccines patients fall far short of needs. worker training. The number DISCLAIMER: as vaccine shipments to the into the arms of Africans at high Of the 23 countries responding of oxygen concentrators, for Echo Newspaper welcomes concise letters from readers. continent grind to a near halt. risk of falling seriously ill and to the survey, most have fewer instance, has increased to over Letters must carry the Weak observance of preventive dying of COVID-19,” said Dr than one intensive care unit 6700 as of April 2021 compared full name and address of measures, increased population Matshidiso Moeti, the World bed per 100 000 population with 2600 in April 2020, with the sender. Letters must movement and interaction as Health Organization (WHO) and will require an increase WHO providing around 3700 conform to the laws of well as well as the arrival of Regional Director for Africa. of between 2500% and 3000% of the medical equipment to Botswana and to the Press Council of Botswana’s Code winter in southern Africa have “While many countries outside to meet needs during a surge. countries in addition to shipping Of Ethics. Letters will also be heightened the risk of COVID-19 Africa have now vaccinated Among the countries providing about 680 ventilators. edited for length, libel and resurgence in many countries. their high-priority groups information on ventilators, only The Organization has also language. In the last two weeks, Africa and are able to even consider a third of their intensive care deployed 21 experts in COVID-19 recorded a 20% increase in cases vaccinating their children, unit beds are equipped with treatment to eight countries compared with the previous African countries are unable mechanical ventilators. to assist in the clinical care of fortnight. The pandemic is to even follow up with second High-income countries such critically ill patients and share trending upwards in 14 countries doses for high-risk groups. as Germany, Luxemburg or the expertise with national health and in the past week alone, eight I’m urging countries that have United States of America that workers. countries witnessed an abrupt reached a significant vaccination have been able to cope with To further reinforce COVID-19 rise of over 30% in cases. South coverage to release doses and COVID-19 surges have over 25 critical care services, WHO Africa is reporting a sustained keep the most vulnerable beds per 100 000 population. recommends that every district increase in cases, while Uganda Africans out of critical care.” “Many African hospitals and hospital should have a high- saw a 131% week-on-week rise Altogether, 48.6 million clinics are still far from ready dependency unit, while those at Read more Echo last week, with infection clusters doses have been received and to cope with a huge rise in the regional or provincial level stories on our in schools, rising cases among 31.4 million doses have been critically-ill patients. We must have an intensive care unit and Facebook page by health workers and isolation administered in 50 countries better equip our hospitals and higher-level health facilities set centres and intensive care in Africa, where around 2% of medical staff to avert the worst up 2—3 intensive care units. scanning the QR units filling up. Angola and the population have received at effects of a runaway surge,” All intensive care units must code below with Namibia are also experiencing least one dose of the COVID-19 said Dr Moeti. “Treatment is be adequately equipped. your mobile phone a resurgence in cases. vaccine, while globally 24% the last line of defence against The increase comes as have been vaccinated. this virus and we cannot let it (APO) COVID-19 vaccine shipments Our priority is clear – it’s be breached.” continue to slow down. Burkina crucial that we swiftly get Faso this week received just vaccines into the arms of 115 000 doses from the COVAX Africans at high risk of falling Facility, while Rwanda and seriously ill and dying of Togo each received around COVID-19 100 000 Pfizer vaccine doses. As the continent struggles Nearly 20 African countries with vaccine shortages, the have used up more than two- care of critically ill COVID-19 thirds of their doses. The COVAX patients is also lagging behind Facility is in talks with several other parts of the world. While Echo Newspaper 07 June - 13 June 2021 Echo Report 3 4 Echo Report Echo Newspaper 07 June - 13 June 2021 Botswana’s Covid-19 vaccine rollout gets financial boost De Beers Global Sightholder and Vaccination Plan (NDVP) million people. The Government through the partnership with Government cannot fight it Sales (DBGSS), Debswana for Covid-19 in Botswana. and private sector partnership DBGSS and DTCB.” alone, and this is indeed a positive Diamond Company (Debswana) will assist in supporting a safe, Sedireng Serumola, Managing step in DTCB’s commitment and Diamond Trading Company “We have been partners effective and efficient Covid-19 Director, DTCB, said: “DTCB to remain a supportive and Botswana (DTCB) have jointly with Botswana for more than vaccination programme. takes great pride in playing involved corporate citizen.” pledged a combined P55 million 50 years, and through that Covid-19 vaccination is a critical a critical role in assisting the The pledge to the vaccine to support the Covid-19 vaccine time we have a shared track aspect of the fight against the Government of Botswana rollout programme builds on rollout in Botswana. The pledge record of recognising and pandemic and as Debswana, during these trying times. It the support DBGSS, Debswana will comprise financial support supporting each other’s needs. we look forward to providing is through partnerships such as and DTCB have already provided as well as a range of in-kind We are proud to have assisted support through our mine these that we can pull together to date in helping Botswana support to assist with the with several important public hospital health facilities, offering critical resources to help make respond to the Covid-19 administration of the vaccine. health programmes in the past, support to communities, as a valuable contribution towards pandemic. The support will be funded and as the world continues well as contributing financially the fight against this pandemic. through a contribution of P25 to grapple with Covid-19, we million from DBGSS, P25 million are committed to working from Debswana and P5 million with Government to ensure from DTCB. The share of the we support Botswana’s national pledge to be contributed by vaccination strategy in the best De Beers Group forms part way possible. Partnering for of Anglo American’s global thriving communities is a key commitment to supporting pillar of our sustainability work, national vaccine programmes and the health infrastructure in the countries in which it we have built up in Botswana operates. DBGSS, Debswana over the decades will offer vital and DTCB will continue to support for the administration engage with Government and of the vaccine, while our consider the best ways for financial contribution can play the financial contribution to an important role in supporting assist in procuring vaccines national vaccine procurement,” for the benefit of Botswana’s Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers population. Group, said. In-kind support will include Lynnette Armstrong, Acting the provision of medical Managing Director, Debswana, facilities, personnel, equipment said: “As our nation begins and supplies to assist with the the rollout of its Covid-19 delivery of the vaccine rollout.