20 Aug 2015

Village Extension Team (VET) and Village Health Committee (VHC) are important initiatives that can be utilised to bridge the communication gap between the community and medical facilities.

Speaking during consultation meeting with residents recently, principal nursing officer, Ms Florence Brown said revival of VHC and VET was necessary to ease monitoring of patients by nurses and to break communication blockade.

She said residents decried poor dissemination of information and consultation between them and the hospital and as such they believe VHC and VET would lull the differences between two parties.

“Not only patients will benefit but the community at large because their worries and suggestions will be carried through this programmes,” she said. When answering some of the questions concerning the escalating number of patients that were being referred to Princess Marina hospital, Ms Brown said the discharged patients were mostly referred for check-ups and it is the responsibility of their families to assure that they escort them to Marina hospital.

For those who were registered destitute she said, they should be taken care of by social and community development office.

Inward patients, she said were the only ones that could be transported if referred because they were still under the hospital care.

For their part , residents decried lack of blankets in the hospital citing that Kgalagadi is extremely cold during winter and bringing in blankets is not allowed

They also expressed anxiety concerning the period that is taken to notify the family members when their patients pass on.  Ends