𝐁𝐎𝐓𝐒𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐆𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐍𝐒 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐓𝐇 𝐒𝐄𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘

Botswana has made significant strides in implementing the WHO Africa Region 3rd Generation Edition of the Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) Technical Guidelines. This was said by the Assistant Minister of Health Honourable Sethomo Lelatisitswe during the Health Security Ministerial dinner in Gaborone yesterday, on the sidelines of the ongoing WHO RC73 conference.

Mr Lelatisitswe said that Botswana has launched the Field Epidemiology Training Program which focuses on practical epidemiological skills and has led to the graduation of fifty-nine (59) healthcare workers, who were equipped with the necessary tools to conduct real-time disease surveillance.

The Assistant Minister further stated that Botswana has successfully trained seventy (70) national and subnational teams consisting of experts from various sectors who will be focusing on reinforcing Botswana's Emergency Preparedness and Response (EPR) systems. He added that Botswana now has a skilled team of Health Emergency Responders who can address emergencies within the country and beyond. The empowered AVoHC-SURGE responders paraded during the proceedings and some took part in the panel discussions.

Hon Lelatisitswe said emergencies are becoming more frequent and severe therefore demanding a stronger state of readiness, thus strengthening of public health workforce and emergency response capabilities positions Botswana well to tackle future public health Emergencies.