Lesotho

LESOTHO Lesotho’s prompt response to COVID-19 flattened the curve

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a test of our integration and connectedness as humans, families, associations, organisations and nations.

The closing of borders and strict lockdown conditions in various countries have been the most unnatural imposition on our way of life. In the midst of all of this, we quickly learned that the things we cannot live without, and topping that list are WiFi and food. Our physical sustenance in terms of food/drink and our connectivity to things that matter remain the most important elements of our lives.

The panic caused by the global pandemic demonstrated that the health agenda has not been a priority for most governments and that the health citizen has not been at the centre. It also showed us that we are not as regionally integrated as we should be and that our borders are clearly more important.

Unfortunately, our health systems are housed within these borders. This has forced business to transition to a more digitised way of doing things without the usual hesitation that came with security and confidentiality concerns.

With lay-offs due to reduced business activity, individuals have shifted to microbusiness activities and sometimes just subsistence activities such as crop farming, food processing, home remedies and other agriculture-based activities.

Even though food is at the centre of the health agenda, it is not prioritised and glaring inequalities are evident.

When the scrambling for resources due to COVID19 restrictions began, our small and landlocked country succumbed to political and leadership paralysis.

On the upside, however, we responded to COVID-19 before we even recorded our first case. This is the lesson for all of us – response time to health issues is key. While there may have been indecision regarding who would run our command centre, or corruption around who should buy medical equipment to beef up the national response, it is clear that our curve remained flat because we responded well.

Nations should therefore take this as a lesson to prioritise health issues, respond now rather than later and ensure that all organs of state work towards common goals. Sick nations are not productive; even their armies are rendered useless if the barracks are full of feeble solders. More importantly, our decisionmaking structures should move from just talking about regional collaboration to implementing it. The level of resource- and information-sharing during this time was so huge and significant in helping each other manage the pandemic; we must grow from there.

Teboho Makoetlane, Former Principal Officer, Mamoth Employee Benefits