03 Mar 2016

Parliament has approved a budget proposal of over P6.48 billion that had been presented by the Ministry of Health for 2015/16 financial year. 

After Minister of Health, Ms Dorcas Makgato presented the budget proposal, Members of Parliament (MPs) expressed different views on the country’s public health needs, but were unanimous in approving the budget proposal.

Ms Makgato had requested over P5.74 billion for her ministry’s recurrent budget, and over P741.8 million as the development budget for the implementation of MoH projects.

She revealed that the recurrent budget proposal was 0.46 per cent more than the current financial year’s approved recurrent budget as it is now inclusive of funds for the National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) and the Teaching Hospital and Medicines Regulatory Authority.

“The proposed budget will be allocated to different departments within my Ministry. The Department of Clinical Services which is responsible for Central Medical Stores, National Health Laboratory, all hospitals and primary health care facilities gets the largest share of the budget at P4.48 billion or 78.1 per cent of the total budget,” she said.

Ministry headquarters will get the second largest share of over P831 million of the recurrent budget, while the balance of P427 million will be allocated to four departments to fund among other things public health programmes targeting prevention of communicable and non-communicable diseases and the fight against HIV/AIDS.

Under the development budget, the MoH has proposed to spend P10 million on computerisation, P6.5 million for MoH fleet expansion, P900 000 for consultancies and P16 million for Institute of Health Sciences.

In their submissions, MPs praised the minister for her presentation.  Vice President Mr Mokgweetsi Masisi said that Botswana has over the years developed a primary health care system that is recognized as one of the most successful in the developing world.

Minister of Lands and Housing, Mr Prince Maele while sounding an appreciative note to the minister, still expressed the need for a primary hospital to be built in Lerala to ease the burden on a similar facility in Palapye.

Gaborone Bonnington South legislator, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe said that the minister’s presentation was an improvement on her previous submission before parliament, though he cautioned that there was still room for improvement in the country’s healthcare system.

Mr Kagiso Molatlhegi, the Gaborone South MP urged the ministry to actively collect the P5 consultation fee at public health facilities as a means of cost recovery.  He also called on the ministry to ensure that doctors and facilities such as X rays are availed at clinics across the country.

Francistown South MP, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said that some of the country’s health facilities have difficulties in accessing medical supplies, citing Francistown clinics and their referral facility, Nyangabgwe Hospital.  He further called on the minister to look at improving security at Nyangabgwe.

Ghanzi North MP, Mr Noah Salakae said that Ghanzi District needs better health facilities, while urging the minister to improve the conditions of service for health workers across the country. Ends