21 Mar 2013

Several MPs who contributed to the debate on the budget proposals for the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the 2013/2014 financial year have called for general improvement of health services in the country.

Making his contribution in Parliament on the proposals, MP for Moshupa, Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi requested government to build a hospital in Moshupa.

Mr Masisi, who is also the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, expressed concern on the prevalence of non-communicable diseases in the country

For his part, Tonota North MP, Mr Fidelis Molao complained about the shortage of both ambulances and nurses in his constituency.

Though grateful for the nurse posted to the clinic in Semitwe, Mr Molao said there was serious need for an additional nursing officer to ensure there was no disruption of services when the nurse was not on duty for whatever reason.

This, he noted would encourage and also reward Semitwe residents’ spirit of self-reliance, who had  upon realising that government was having difficulty constructing health facilities in all villages due to budgetary constraints, built a clinic for themselves and handed the structure over to government.

MP Molao also appealed for the extension of the clinic in Chadibe, noting that due to the village’s proximity to Francistown its population had over the years grown dramatically and was continuing to grow at an alarming rate.

He also informed Parliament that clinics in Sebina and Mathangwane attended to large numbers of patients and as such should operate on a 24-hour basis.

Mr Molao also requested government to build a clinic in Jamataka, saying currently residents were being attended to by a nurse from Makobo which lies some 13 kilometres away.

Furthermore, he said the village of Mafungo/Hubona ought to also have a clinic as its population was large at 1 400.

The MP also urged government to electrify the clinic in Makobo and provide solar panels for the one in Mabesekwa.

He said the status quo especially in relation to the clinic in Makobo was saddening since there was electricity in the village.

On a positive note, MP Molao expressed gratitude for the placement of two nurses at the clinic in Matsitama as well as the extension of ARV services to the village.

The latter he, said was indeed a welcome development as previously patients had to access services in Marapong.

For his part, Bobirwa MP Mr Shaw Kgathi commended the MoH for clustering villages to ease their access to medical services.

However, Mr Kgathi decried the congestion at Bobonong hospital.

 He noted that having been built in the 1970s with a 20-bed capacity, the hospital no longer coped with the increased number of patients.

MP Kgathi, who is also the Minister for Youth, Sports and Culture also called on the ministry to address the shortage of nurses in villages such as Tsetsejwe, Mabolwe, Gobajango and Motlhabaneng.

On non-communicable diseases, he underscored the need for compulsory health checks; a move he said would help ensure that such diseases are not diagnosed late thereby helping save the lives of many people.

Earlier on, Minister of Health, Dr John Seakgosing had presented budget proposals for the ministry totaling over P4billion for the recurrent budget and over P133 million for the development budget for the 201314 financial year. Ends