20 Apr 2016

Minister of Health, Ms Dorcas Makgato said Tamasane and Mogapi health posts would be upgraded to clinics through the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP).Addressing a kgotla meeting in Maokaatumo on Tuesday, Ms Makgato said the two health posts in the Mmadinare constituency would be upgraded through ESP but without maternity wings.

She told residents her ministry still faced “a mammoth task” of upgrading health posts into clinics, which had financial implications hence the Maokatumo clinic would not be upgraded as per their request.Ms Makgato explained that the ministry intended to build 734 staff houses under ESP and one would be allocated to Maokaatumo clinic staff.

She cited lack of transport as a serious challenge faced by clinics, adding that she needed to replace a total of 555 vehicles as most vehicles were boarded.The ministry, she said, budgeted to purchase about 192 vehicles this financial year of which 120 were ambulances.

She said due to financial constraints, the 555 vehicles would be purchased in batches for a period of five years.Ms Makgato, who is also MP for Sefhare/Ramokgonami cited shortage of doctors as a challenge facing her ministry.Nonetheless, she said recently she managed to secure 31 doctors from Cuba and also promised 46 doctors from China.

On other issues, she implored residents of Maokaatumo to exercise and eat well, adding that their health was their responsibility. She urged them to drink plenty of water and eat more vegetables.The minister said healthy eating and exercise would help them against lifestyle diseases such as obesity, hypertension and diabetes.

She mentioned that her ministry had a challenge of treating non-communicable diseases yet the community could prevent them.She said it was expensive to treat diseases than preventing them, adding that most of the ministry’s budget was consumed by treatment of non-communicable diseases.

Ms Makgato said non-communicable diseases were silent killers and needed to be prevented by adopting healthy eating and exercising.For their part, residents of Maokaatumo thanked the minister for addressing them on health issues and giving them information that would help them improve their health. ENDS