Nacosec warns against Covid-19 complacency

Lehlohonolo Lebiletsa

Maseru –  A number of organisations donated to NACOSEC towards the end of last week to combat the spread of the virus in all the districts. The donation came just a few days before South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa announced his country was being moved to a tighter lockdown. Basotho await to hear what Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro will say about the dreaded third wave of the virus which has already caused concern in neighbouring South Africa.

Speaking at the event last week Thursday, NACOSEC’s chief of staff Thabo Ntoi appreciated the help adding this comes after the government, through NACOSEC, realised that the fight against the pandemic is far from over. Ntoi added that people are still in a dire need for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and different stakeholders decided to chip in and provide a helping hand. 

On behalf of the donors, World Vision Lesotho National Director, James Nkembe, said different stakeholders decided to give out these hampers after they realized that the virus is still continuing and some people, especially deep in the villages of Lesotho, are in dire need. 

Nkembe highlighted that World Vision in particular has been playing a pivotal role in helping the government fight the pandemic. Present at the event was the Minister of Gender, Youth, Sports and Recreation Likeleli Tampane who thanked the companies on behalf of the government and explained that the PPE will play a huge role in controlling the virus and helping the needy who can hardly afford to buy even a single mask.

The companies that donated to NACOSEC include the Petroleum Fund, Minet, Metropolitan Lesotho, Nedbank and Maluti Mountain Brewery. Amongst some of the things that were handed out were masks, hand sanitizers, soaps, reflector jackets and tag holders.

Meanwhile, Dr ’Malitaba Litaba who is the CEO of NACOSEC said Covid-19 in the country is rising yet Basotho seem to have forgotten that the country is still at a war which, unfortunately, is yet to be won. 

“A lot of people seem to have turned a blind eye to the pandemic though its escalating. Basotho should be aware that we are still within a pandemic which is far from over and therefore should continue abiding by the laws that the government has given out,” she said.

On the other hand, she said six people have lost their lives the past two weeks and that is a negative sign because the aim of NACOSEC is to ensure that people do not lose their lives. Besides that, 32 cases were reported positive while 12 of those were cases were found at the borders.