15 Feb 2016

The Ministry of Health (MoH) has initiated a community support strategy (CSS) programme that seeks to deliver basic healthcare promotion, guidance and education at homes and the community level.

Speaking during a workshop held in Bobonong on Friday, public health specialist in the Ministry of Health, doctor Christine La Grenade said the main focus of the community support strategy was on homes.

“The community support strategy which will be conducted by health education assistants is aimed at reducing children’s mortality rate in Botswana,'' she continued.

She added that children mortality has been a concern, adding that diahorrea and pneumonia have been the main cause of death.

Doctor Grenade stressed that facilitators were expected to deliver health education at homes and community gatherings as well as promoting health activities and projects.

She added that health educators were supposed to identify and report persons (adults and children) that were at risk of illness.

“Community engagement is viable as it helps to address situations and conditions such as poor management of refuse, unsanitary practices, alcohol abuse as well as mosquito breeding sites and malnutrition,” she said.

Doctor Grenade further stated that proper disposal of feaces and hand washing with soap prior to preparing meals were some of the household practices that could prevent diseases.

She also highlighted that certain practices such as the introduction of complementary feeding at the age of six months could help the child grow and develop well.

For her part, principle health officer in the Ministry of Health, Ms Keemenao Ramogalana said there was a strategy called Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) which was aimed at determining current levels of quality care delivered to sick children.

She noted that IMCI was launched in 1999 and that coverage was 60 per cent of the country. She, however, said the countryhas failed to meet World Health Organisation (WHO) target. Ends