22 Oct 2014

The Botswana African Youth Games Organising Committee (BAYGOC) has donated medical equipment and supplies worth P130 000 to Princess Marina Hospital.

The equipment and supplies included wheel chairs, linen, duvet covers, rubbish bins, towels and BP machines which remained from the African Youth Games hosted in Gaborone in May.

Donating the equipment in Gaborone on October 21, BAYGOC chief executive officer, Tuelo Serufho said the hospital was one of the stakeholders who pledged their support and showed commitment throughout the games.

Serufho said when they bidded for the games, people were in doubt because of some misconceptions about Botswana, but that they were all impressed by the time the games culminated. This, he said, was due to the support and commitment displayed by all stakeholders and Batswana hence their decision to donate back to the hospital.

“The success of the games was a consequence of all the joint ventures from all stakeholders including Princess Marina Hospital and the Ministry of Health.” Serufho noted that they spent P80 million on the games, adding that it was less compared to other countries, adding that stakeholders made it easier by meeting them half way.

He said health support was top class as everyone was impressed because of the services rendered by the health sector. Serufho added that he appreciated the role played by the hospital hence their decision to give them the equipment that would assist in the running of the hospital.

For his part, the Ministry of Health chief biomedical engineer, Mooketsi Bafana said the games made a significant contribution to Botswana’s economic development and diversification and that it put the country on the map.

He congratulated the committee for a job well done, adding that he was pleased with the committee’s gesture of donating the remaining equipment and supplies from the games. “This shows a great sense of accountability in making sure that the money and allocated resources were used accordingly.”

He said the equipment would help them to cope with the increasing demand of equipment and supplies as the health sector was faced with many challenges such as overcrowding and inadequate equipment due to patient workload.

Bafana said he appreciated the hard work and dedication shown by their staff despite challenges, adding that the BAYGOC gesture would revitalise their energies.

He said the committee had set a shining example to fellow colleagues in bringing together the African Youth Games and making the nation proud. ENDS