Photo/The Voice News
A South African national is now fighting for his life after suffering stroke and brain damage after being forced to take a booster shot to enter Botswana.
Bongani Mbongani suffered a stroke, swelling of the brain and has been in a coma since Friday after being forced to take the Covid-19 vaccine as part of Botswana’s travel requirement.
According to a report, Mbongani complained of headaches after taking the shot and got worsened, causing him to faint.
The Voice News reported:
In a horrific incident that may soon see Botswana Government and the Director of health Services (DHS) being slapped with a lawsuit, a South African national is currently brain dead and lying in a state of coma at the Gaborone Private Hospital (GPH).
The man, identified as Bongani Mbongani to The Voice Newspaper, suffered a stroke, swelling of the brain and has been in a coma since Friday.
Mbongani arrived in Botswana with his crew amongst them popular rapper, Slikour to attend to a creative workshop staged in Gaborone.
He was forced to take the jab to enter Botswana and soon after started complaining of headache.
The headache according to our source got so intense that the man fainted and had to be immediately rushed for medical assistance.
He was rushed to Marina Hospital and after negotiations with the Ministry of Health (MOH) he was admitted at the intensive care Unit.
The promoter who had booked the crew to Botswana confirmed the incident but refused to go into detail, confirming instead that the man’s mother has arrived in Botswana.
Efforts to reach the man’s mother were futile by time of going to press as her phone rang unanswered.
However according to our source close to the matter the family has engaged a private law firm to explore the possibility of a legal suit against the government of Botswana.
For their part Botswana Government through the Ministry of Health Public relations office (PRO) has confirmed the incident and has revealed that they are taking full responsibility of the incident.
Responding to a questionnaire from this reporter, Christopher Nyanga said .
“Yes it is the Ministry that has taken the patient for medical facilitation. The client is currently hospitalised and the total bill has not yet been computed.”
Poked further the Ministry spokesperson said, “It is true that the Ministry is currently handling the case you made reference to. At the moment investigations are at an early age and the Ministry is not in a position to make a conclusive statement on whether or not the client condition is related to the vaccine taken or not.”
Read more here.
Following the incident, the government of Botswana announced some changes to its travel requirement.
“Due to discordant periods for taking booster shots between Botswana and other countries, and for purposes of smoothening international travel, the definition of being fully vaccinated in Botswana will no longer include a booster shot. Having completed the primary vaccine series will be considered sufficient for one to be allowed entry, without the need to present a negative PC test result,” the news release stated.