The SKI Khama Foundation reveals that no communication was received from the government after sharing a correspondence for potential COVID-19 vaccine supplier. The foundation indicates that they had, through their international contacts, managed to secure four million (4 million) vaccines for Botswana.
Offer for Two million (2 million) AstraZeneca vaccine doses, and Two million (2 million) Pfizer vaccine does was valid for only Five (5) days. The timeline has elapsed on Friday and SKI Khama Foundation is yet to receive a communication from the government on whether the deal was successful or not.
“Regrettably we have neither received nor heard any response or reaction from government to our offer. The five-day timeline set by the manufacturers lapsed on Friday and this now means that the vaccines may no longer be available to Botswana. The absence of any form of feedback from the government means that we are not aware of any difficulty or success that the government might have had in acting on the offer that we had put forth to the Ministry of Health and Wellness. ” Mogomotsi Kaboeamodimo, the SKI Khama Foundation, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) expressed.
While some critics accused the SKI Khama Foundation of ill motives , Kaboeamodimo indicates that they had no such motives, and that it was upon the government to do due diligence. Kaboeamodimo suggests that as the foundation, theirs was only to support the government, not to frustrate.
“The next logical steps were for the government of Botswana to begin the normal chain of procurement which includes verification of everything about the vaccines on offer including affordability and timelines. It was entirely at the discretion of the government of Botswana whether or not to buy all of the vaccines or any of them at all having satisfied itself with or without the participation of the Foundation in the negotiation process. Naturally it would have been easier on government to involve the Foundation in the process for obvious reasons.” said Kaboeamodimo.
