Fears as only 30% screened at borders

MASERU-THE Ministry of Health has admitted that it dismally failed to test returning Basotho citizens for Covid-19 during the Christmas holiday.
The spectacular admission has triggered fear and panic among Basotho. There are now concerns that Lesotho could see a sharp spike in Covid-19 cases as a direct result of the arrival of the returning residents.

About 130 000 Basotho entered Lesotho using the designated border gates.
Out of that number, only 20 percent came with Covid-19 clearance certificates from South Africa.
Health Minister Motlatsi Maqelepo told a press conference on Tuesday that there were thousands of Basotho who also entered the country illegally.
These were never subjected to any Covid-19 tests.

Maqelepo told the press conference that only 30 percent of the returning Basotho were screened at the borders.
The rest simply bull-dozed their way through in chaotic scenes at the borders.
Maqelepo said Basotho failed to exercise patience when they were waiting to be screened.

What has sparked fear is that the majority of the returning residents were coming from South Africa which is at currently in the grip of the biggest Covid-19 pandemic in Africa.

South Africa is currently battling a second wave of the pandemic after a new variant of the disease was discovered recently.
Scientists say the new variant spreads easily and could pose yet another threat to the lives of people.
Maqelepo said they failed to count the number of returning residents.
He said they had previously asked traditional leaders including chiefs and councillors at community level to trace people who returned from South Africa and take them to the nearest health centres.

The huge numbers of people who illegally came into Lesotho has now made that exercise futile, he said.
To deal with the crisis, the minister said his ministry had decided to set up a testing facility in all government district hospitals.
He said Basotho who would be returning to South Africa have to take swabs at those facilities which will then be taken to the National Reference Laboratory.

“We are going to assist only those who would be unable to visit the private testing facilities,” Maqelepo said.
He said their aim is to save jobs of those who would be returning to work in South Africa.
“If we fail to protect their jobs that would spell a serious crisis for the country,” he said.

He insisted that those who could afford to process the Covid certificates on their own should go to private facilities.
The minister said they are aware that some private health facilities had issued fraudulent certificates for people who wanted to go to South Africa.
“We are going to take the licences of facilities which will be found issuing fake certificates,” he said.

Maqelepo said the facilities are expected to take 200 people each a day.
This means 2 000 swabs would be taken to the National Reference Laboratory each day.
He said the National Reference Laboratory is expected to work 24/7 with three shifts so that people are assisted on time.
It is expected that the National Reference Laboratory is expected to test 20 000 swabs within 10 days.

The ministry said it wants to fast-track the issuance of certificates within 72 hours.
He said the priority is going to be given to people who have valid passports, work permits, study permits and special permits.
“We are not going to give priority to people who are going to look for jobs,” Maqelepo said.

He said there have been large crowds of people seeking to come into the country since the beginning of this month.
Meanwhile, the minister said there was already an increase in Covid-19 cases in the districts of Leribe and Mokhotlong before the arrival of Basotho for the holidays.

Majara Molupe