29 Jun 2014

Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing says the acquisition of specialists at Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital has seen a huge and significant benefit in health service provision in the Ngamiland District.

Addressing North West District councillors to appraise them on the development of health sector within their district, he said the ministry had placed a number of specialists in Letsholathebe hospital to provide the main streams of specialised services, such as general surgery, medicine, paediatrics, obstetrics, gynaecology, oncology, ear nose and throat.

He said there had been a significant increase in access to specialist health services to the Ngami community adding that the referrals to other centres outside Maun such as Nyangabgwe Hospital, Princess Marina Hospital, and even to various hospitals in South Africa have remarkably reduced.

Dr Seakgosing noted that it was not only a cost serving measure on the part of government, but also afforded patients the golden chance of being nearer to their relatives for support.

The minister told Councillors about the tremendous achievements made since the establishment of the District Health Management Teams (DHMT).

The achievements, he said, included the opening of two facilities which operate 24 hours, the Old Maun clinic and Shakawe Clinic in Okavango.

“This development has made the greatest impact in improving access and proximity of health services to the community,” he added.

Dr Seakgosing said Ngami DHMT opened the Disaneng clinic to the public in 2013, and is about to open another 24 hour clinic with maternity at Matshwane clinic.

In Okavango, he noted, Eretsha was opened in 2012 and Beetsha maternity will be opened soon while the construction of Kajaja Health Post is 80 per cent complete and handing over expected on July 2014.

Another achievement, he said, is rollout of ARVs to all health facilities, adding that his ministry has successfully rolled out ARVs to 557 out of 563 facilities across the country.

About the remaining facilities, the expectation is to finish the exercise by July, 2014 adding that capacity building is ongoing as nurses are continuously trained on ARV dispensing and prescribing.

 “I am happy to inform this house that all the DHMTs in the North West District have covered all its facilities.”

The minister noted that the availability of medicines at health facilities has also improved noting that Botswana Post through Botswana Couriers has now taken over the distribution of drugs from Central Medical Stores (CMS) to the facilities for the next three years.

There are 96 agreed points throughout the country and the agreed turnaround time is five working days. In Ngami, Dr Seakgosing said drug availability stands at 79 per cent while in Okavango is at 73 per cent.

However, he said his ministry’s position was that whenever there are shortages of drugs in the facilities, the health personnel should look for the drugs and not the patients. ENDS