BONU president urges Batswana to take cholera prevention seriously

President of the Botswana Nurses Union (BONU), Peter Baleseng, has advised Batswana to take the government’s Cholera prevention guidelines seriously. In an interview with The Monitor, he emphasized that failing to pay attention to the Ministry of Health’s recommendations could leave the country vulnerable to the disease’s outbreak.

Currently, there is Cholera outbreaks and associated deaths that have been reported across Africa, including neighbouring countries, being Zimbabwe and Zambia. Botswana has so far not recorded any Cholera case. “Cholera is a serious disease, and it is important for everyone to take the necessary precautions,” Baleseng said. The BONU president stated that his organisation applauds government for being proactive. He, however, said his union would also be monitoring the situation closely. Baleseng also urged Batswana to remain vigilant and not dismiss any advice given by health authorities, even if it seems unusual or excessive.

Additionally, Baleseng stated that BONU is making arrangements to provide further training to nurses, should it become necessary. “We are taking every precaution to ensure that our nurses are prepared to handle a potential cholera outbreak,” he said.

He also said it is important for the public to stay in a clean environment. The country is on high alert and health officials continue to monitor developments in the region and globally. The Ministry of Health has advised the public to strictly observe personal hygiene measures, such as washing hands with clean water and soap after using the toilet, before and after handling food and before feeding children. Batswana have also been urged to thoroughly cooking food and eat it while hot, washing fruits and vegetables with clean water, and disposing of human waste properly, including children’s faeces.

The public is also advised to drink water from safe sources and boil water for one minute and store it in a