Open AccessUniversity of Botswana Public Health Medicine Unit contributions to the national COVID-19 response
Author(s) -
Keatlaretse Siamisang,
Dineo Kebadiretse,
Tiny Masupe
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
the pan african medical journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.287
H-Index - 30
ISSN - 1937-8688
DOI - 10.11604/pamj.2021.39.82.28314
Subject(s) - public health , medicine , preparedness , unit (ring theory) , pandemic , health care , covid-19 , international health , health policy , environmental health , nursing , economic growth , political science , infectious disease (medical specialty) , disease , pathology , law , economics , mathematics education , mathematics
COVID-19 was declared a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) in January 2020 and a pandemic in March 2020. Botswana reported its first case on 30 th March 2020 and as of 31 st January 2021 had 21,293 cases and 46 deaths. The University of Botswana Public Health Medicine Unit has made significant contributions to the national preparedness and response to COVID-19. The program alumni and Public Health Medicine residents have and continue to provide key technical support to the Ministry of Health and Wellness across the major pillars of COVID-19. This includes key roles in national and subnational coordination and planning, surveillance, case investigations and rapid response teams, points of entry, travel and transportation, infection prevention and control and case management. The unit is thus supporting the country in achieving the World Health Organization (WHO) primary objective of limiting human-to-human transmission, optimal care of the affected and maintaining essential services during the outbreak. The Public Health Medicine Unit has played a key role in capacity building including early rapid COVID-19 training of healthcare workers across the country. Furthermore faculty members and residents are involved in several COVID-19 research projects and collaborations.