12 Oct 2015

A former national service participant at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital, Mr Thatayaone Khumo, has been on a fund raising mission to support the eye ward.

In an interview, Khumo explained that while at the hospital, he joined the Serowe District Health Management team where his focus was on internal and external customer satisfaction.

Since Sekgoma became an eye centre, dealing with eye related issues in the country, the unit experienced an influx of eye patients and that contributed to the shortage of amenities such as beds. 

This drove Mr Khumo to embark on a mission to buy beds to ensure that the unit’s goal of meeting the client’s expectation and satisfaction in the provision of health care was met.

Where there were no beds,  he said patients who slept on the floor could suffer some infection. He said some of the clinical apparatus were sensitive and if not handled well could be exposed to infection.

‘“It is challenging to access a patient on the floor, and also time consuming more especially during check-up. 

Apart from that, it is equally straining for nurses coming with an elderly person on a wheel chair and becomes a mammoth task to take such a patient off the wheel chair to the floor.’’ He noted.

As a result, he felt that buying beds for patients would provide a lasting solution. 

Mr Khumo started by organising a music festival extravaganza with the help of donations from Teemane Manufacturing Company, Makwapa Investment, Old Apostolic church, Trade world and food Botswana.

The last dinner he organised attracted companies such as Mokoka Transport and Plant Hire whose managing director Ndipo Mokoka pledged two beds and bought a table of 10 people.

Mr Khumo said the project was not aimed at competing or taking the responsibility of the government but rather to meet the government half. 

He said the journey had not been easy especially preparations for the dinner. 

He noted that he had not only learnt a lot by undertaking such a mission as he managed to forge relationships both personal and professional but also earned a sense of pride for what he did.

“Since I had the opportunity to hold meetings with CEOs, managing directors of different companies, I took advantage and negotiated employment for other youths in districts,’’ he continued.

He said the success of the project would not only benefit Sekgoma Memorial Hospital but also the entire country.

 “In life we will only be remembered for two things, the problem we solved and the problems we created, problem shared is problem solved,” he said.

Mr Khumo explained that they had ordered beds from China and were awaiting their arrival.

“We still need more beds at  the Eye Ward and their importance cannot be overemphasised. The Ministry of Health cannot manage alone since there are other pressing matters to be addressed. 

I implore everyone to kindly assist as other units need our help”. He said his dream was to make a difference in the lives of those in need. Ends