01 Mar 2017

Minister of Health and Wellness, Ms Dorcas Makgato has told Parliament that her ministry has a plan to upgrade all health posts to clinics.

Ms Makgato indicated that upgrading would be done in a phased approach considering disease burden and population size of the catchment area.

However, she said due to financial constraints the ministry was unable to upgrade Lepashe health post to a clinic, adding that the village had a population of 544, which was below the threshold for a clinic.
She said clinics were constructed at villages with population range of 1 000 to 5 000.

The minister stated that there was a critical shortage of ambulance countrywide; hence the ministry was unable to place ambulances at every facility.

She said currently Lepashe shared an ambulance with Matsitama health post, which was approximately 25km.

The minister said funds permitting Lepashe would be considered alongside other facilities when ambulances were procured.

Ms Makgato said the ministry was committed to having a minimum of two nurses to operate health posts.

Currently, she said there were two nurses at Lepashe Health Post and because of the critical shortage of nurses with midwifery training in the country, they were only posted to clinics.

However, she said the nurse-midwives from Dukwi Clinic provided reproductive health services to Lepashe every month.

Ms Makgato said currently less than 10 clients were seen for reproductive health services per month at this facility.

MP for Nata-Gweta, Mr Polson Majaga had asked the minister if she would consider upgrading Lepashe Health Post into a clinic and allocating one ambulance to the village as it was very remote and becomes an island during the rainy season.

Mr Majaga also wanted to know if the minister would consider providing the health post with two nurses, among them, a midwife to assist when there was a need. ENDS