Botswana Vice President Slumber Tsogwane has stated that the government is aiming to reach 50% vaccination of Botswana citizens by the end of this month.

He added that 20.8% of the population has been fully vaccinated against coronavirus up to now, with 23.5% having had their first dose.

“I am happy to share that Botswana has surpassed the set global standard of 10% vaccination by end of September. We will continue until all Batswana are vaccinated,” he said.

In response to a question by the Member of Parliament for Selebi-Phikwe West, Dithapelo Keorapetse, Tsogwane said the government had to take action to contain the spread of Covid-19, resulting in the decision to impose the State of Emergency. 

“The severity at which COVID-19 affected the world’s most developed countries, instils lessons in us, that, had we not taken the measurements we did our people would have been decimated by the pandemic. The Public Health Act on its own would have been insufficient to facilitate appropriate action taken to safeguard and protect our people from COVID-19,” he said.

The Vice President added that the pandemic had led to a 7.9% fall in GDP in Botswana last year, an all-time high.

“It is evident with the downturn of the global economy that had we not put the measures we chose even our public finances would not have been adequate to deal with the pandemic at its peak. Even though we are affected, the pandemic did not have any impact on Botswana’s democracy,” he stated.

Moreover, during his National Address last Friday, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said: “I am happy to inform you that to date, the country has managed to fully vaccinate 21.6% of the currently eligible population of about 1,531,000 people. 1,009,974 doses, comprising Sinovac, AstraZeneca, Johnson & Johnson and Moderna are expected to be delivered during September. This number includes the 404,494 doses of Sinovac due to arrive this Sunday,” he added.

“The total number of vaccines expected this month together with those that have been received so far will mean that by the end of this October, 975,782 Batswana will be fully vaccinated translating into 64% of the target population being fully vaccinated.”