06 Aug 2014

The Public Private Partnership anti-retroviral (PPP ARV) Masa programme was discontinued in 2014.



Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Gloria Somolokae said the programme was discontinued because the government wants to fast track enrolment of eligible patients to access ARV therapy and reduce congestion at treatment centres.



She said in 2005 there were 10 000 patients that were waiting to be initiated on HAART, adding that currently the ministry no longer has a waiting list of patients requiring treatment in health care facilities following the rollout of ARV therapy services to 559 clinics out of 563 as well as all the 29 hospitals countrywide hence the discontinuation of PPP.



Dr Somolokae said an assessment of the PPP was carried out in 2007.



She said the positive results included reduced patient waiting times and reduction in patient congestion at public health facilities.



“Whilst the negatives were that different service providers used different service date management systems which led to inadequate tracking of patients and patients were moving from one service point to another,” she said.



She said there was no increase in the percentage of waiting time at Nyangabgwe hospital, Area W and Tati ARV clinics, and that all the PPP clients in these areas have been equitably distributed to all clinics in Francistown.



Francistown West MP, Dr Habaudi Hobona had asked the minister why the PPP ARV Masa programme was discontinued, and whether an assessment or audit was carried out on the programme.

She also asked what were the positive and negative results and to state the increase in percentage of the waiting time at ARV clinics at Nyangabgwe hospital, Area W clinic and Tati town clinic due to the PPP patient influx. Ends