13 Dec 2015

Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele, has told Parliament that he is not aware that patients suffering from certain conditions are not receiving medical help. He said every citizen can access health services to address all conditions ranging from the most non-threatening to the most complex such as cancers and organ transplants.

“Provisions are put in place to refer patients to higher level facilities whenever necessary, within and outside the country,” he said. Dr Madigele said health facilities employ a triaging system to ensure prompt attention to those who are critically ill while those with non-emergency cases have to wait their turn.

He said patients referred to specialist clinics after initial assessment are prioritised in order of the severity of their condition, adding that in the process, some with non life threatening conditions are given longer appointment with strict instruction to return immediately at any time they deem to be deteriorating.

Francistown South Member of Parliament Wynter Mmolotsi had wanted the minister to state as to why patients suffering from certain conditions were not assisted by the ministry, whether he was aware that some patients spend up to a year waiting to be seen by doctors; if so, why and how many patients booked to see doctors passed on before they were attended to in the last two years. Ends