18 Feb 2015

Pap smear turn-around time has improved from six months in 2013 to the current turn - around time of four to six weeks following outsourcing of Pap smear investigations to private facilities, says the Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele.

Answering a question in Parliament, Dr Madigele said they have procured an automated cytology slide reading machine that has also contributed to the improved turnaround time. 

He said measures have also been put in place to mobilize the clients to come for their results as this has also been found to contribute to the delay in treatment.

He said the number of slides on has to read contributes to turnaround times and private laboratories have a smaller workload compared to theirs and this makes their turnaround time much longer and on average they receive at National Laboratory between 150-200 specimens per day.

The assistant minister said he is aware that the average waiting time for medical check-ups in an out Patient Department is about two weeks for medical officers.

He said however, most patients who are booked in for specialists’ services wait for at most two months to be seen except for gynecology and urology were the waiting time is about six months due to a shortage of these specialists. Dr Madigele said his ministry engaged the private specialist medical services and also continues to work tirelessly to recruit medical specialists.

Francistown West MP, Mr Ignatius Moswaane had asked the minister if he is aware that bookings for medical check-ups take six months or more before actual consultation by medical officers or doctors and results for pap smear and abdominal scan also take around the same time as above before they are released whereas in private practice it takes less than 48 hours.

He wanted to know what is being done to remedy the situation.  ENDS