24 Feb 2015

Minister of Health, Ms Dorcus Makgato on Monday, February 23 presented to Parliament a total of P5, 9 billion as budget for her ministry for the 2015/16 financial year.

This includes P5, 7 billion recurrent estimates and P203, 8 million development estimates.

Presenting the budget, Ms Makgato said the Department of Clinical Services, which is responsible for all hospitals and clinics, will get the largest share of recurrent budget at P4.4 billion. She said the Department’s budget has increased as a result of relocation of the ARV Programme, Cuban Personnel, and Health Care Auxiliary and IDCC budget items from HIV/AIDS Department. 

She also said the Ministry Headquarters has been allocated the second largest of P761.4 million to address shortage of vehicles which is a serious challenge that impacts on service delivery. 

“The provision under this budget item is meant to replace 125 vehicles out of which 103 will be ambulances,” the minister said. 

Overall, Ms Makgato said the recurrent estimates have increased by P451.7 million compared to the current financial year. 

“The increase is attributed to adjustment of salaries and related allowances by 4 per cent which effected in April 2014, gratuities for contract officers, vehicles replacements and provision for ARV drugs,” she said.

She said government will be fully financing provision of ARVs effective 2015/2016 financial year after MERK, which has been funding ARV drugs pulled out.

Ms Makgato said the ministry Computerisation will get P 13.3 million of the development budget. She said the ministry will continue to rollout the Integrated Patient Management System (IPMS) to the remaining hospitals, with Hukuntsi and Tsabong hospitals planned to be installed shortly. 

“Rollout of the system to the remaining hospitals will be completed in the coming financial year. The Networking and cabling of the targeted 110 clinics is complete. For the 2015/2016 financial year, plans are to roll out IPMS to 20 clinics with maternity and 24 hours service, and network 150 clinics/Health Posts,” she said.

Further, she said Consultancies will get P2.7 million, while the Institute of Health Sciences will get P2 million for completion of Gaborone staff housing. She also said P123.8 million will be spent on improvement of health facilities, while P62 million will be used for projects under the Primary Health Care programme.

Briefing Parliament about progress of services in her ministry, Ms Makgato said since November 2014 the average availability of vital, essential and necessary medicines at government health facilities stood at 90.9 per cent, 89.2 per cent and 84.9 per cent respectively. 

“The outsourcing of warehousing and distribution of drugs to Botswana Couriers has improved efficiency and effectiveness of the medical commodities supply chain management and availability of medical supplies at Central Medical Stores has increased and at health facilities. 

Health facilities are now ordering and getting supplied regularly thus reducing inventory holding and reducing costs due to medicines expiring before they are dispensed for patient care services,” she said.

She said the ministry has also outsourced the dispensing of chronic care medicines to citizen owned private pharmacies to reduce patient waiting times and improve the quality of patient care services. 

The minister further said by May 2014 the ministry had recorded 99 per cent roll out of ARV services to health facilities, meaning that all 565 clinics and health posts in all District Health Management Teams with an exception of six are providing ARV services. 

Debating the budget proposal , Takatokwane MP, Mr Ngaka Ngaka thanked the minister for what he termed ‘improved service delivery’ by the Ministry of Health. He said he was happy that Takatokwane clinic has started operating for 24 hours, but requested that it should be provided with a stand-by generator. Mr Ngaka also requested the minister to upgrade some health posts in villages in his constituency into clinics.

Nkange MP, Mr Edwin Batshu said he was pleased that the Ministry of Health has increased nurses and doctors in his constituency, which has resulted in better health service provision. He asked the ministry to speed up the process of building a better clinic in Tutume because land for its construction is available. He also called the minister to ensure that the number of ambulances is increased.

Serowe South MP, Ms Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi thanked the ministry for improving supply of ARV drugs in villages in her constituency. However, she complained about shortage of ambulances. She also asked for at least two health posts in her constituency to be transformed into clinics.

MP of Maun West Mr Tawana Moremi asked for Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital in Maun to be made referral hospital. ENDS