27 Sep 2015

MedRescue has launched its integrated health care polyclinic in Kazungula. The new facility boasts of a combination of pharmaceutical services, state of the art X-ray facility, a general medical practitioner as well as emergency medical assistance.

Trading as Prime Health, the organization seeks to provide excellent and convenient health care to tourists who frequent Chobe district as well as community members. Currently Chobe does not have a private hospital despite the influx of tourists every year to the area.

Speaking at the launch of the facility, board chair of Medical Rescue Mr Abel Bogatsu explained that the polyclinic will facilitate the tourism industry with medical and health care services.

“Tourism is not just lodges and wildlife, it extends to services that support it hence the need to grow these services that support them,” he noted. He emphasized the need to grow the services sector as the tourism industry grows.  

He added that the integrated health care model they chose will be driven by quality, affordability and convenience in health care. He announced that they would be introducing a travel clinics soon at Sir Seretse Khama Airport and Maun.

Member of Parliament for the area Mr Ronald Shamukuni noted that this was a welcome development especially in one of the busiest tourist places. “Statistics indicate that out of a total of 840 000 arrivals recorded by Civil Aviation Botswana, 104 000 passed through Kasane airport in this year alone,” he explained.

The health of these travellers therefore should  be a priority, he emphasized. Of the 207 medical evacuations conducted by MedRescue, 29 of them were from Kasane. “A change in temperature, altitude and humidity can result in ill health for a traveller, diseases such as malaria in Chobe also pose a danger to the lives of tourists as this area in mosquito infested.” he said.

Board chairman of Botswana Tourism Organisation Mr Jonathan Gibson cited an incident back in 1986 when some tourists from Canada were involved in a car accident with some losing their lives in the process.

“It was so difficult to find medical help quickly and some of the survivors had to be airlifted to Johannesburg,” he said. Following that accident, he wrote letters to anyone who could help to ensure Chobe had adequate medical resources in such emergencies.

“I am happy that twenty six years later, my plea has been answered but we still need at least clinics that have beds and we do not want to wait another 26 years for that to happen,” he said. ENDS