16 Mar 2017

Health and wellness are integrated and service delivery at point of care is done in an integrated manner hence it is not easy to separate the two in budgetary terms.

Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele said in addressing the disease burdens, clinical interventions could directly address about 20 per cent of conditions, and that most could be dealt with and prevented through wellness interventions.

Mr Makgalemele said the main activities include implementation of the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) programmes which seek to mobilise the nation towards taking their health as a personal responsibility and raising awareness on the need to engage in regular exercises, healthy eating habits and avoiding risk factors such as alcohol and tobacco abuse.

He said that was informed by the findings of two national surveys, (the most recent one conducted in 2014, the STEPS survey) which revealed that 18 per cent of Batswana aged 15- 69 were smokers, 20 per cent did not engage in enough physical activity, 95 per cent did not eat enough fruits and vegetables in their daily diet and 31 per cent were obese.

Also, he said they were rolling out cancer screening services (cervical and breast cancer) and lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and hypertension care.

He said they also conduct fitness Fridays in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development, training of trainers workshops on stress management, team building and occupational health safety, fire outbreak management, screening for health conditions and advocacy for healthy lifestyle.

He said a committee of 12 members of staff from different units had been assigned wellness functions at Letlhakane Primary Hospital coordinated by a focal person who is a nursing officer.

He noted that some of the planned activities included screening for health conditions, training on first aid, prevention of hazards in the work place, fire safety issues, hepatitis vaccination for all health workers, organising sporting activities and financial management.

He said benefits of wellness programmes include enhanced prevention, management and control of NCDs improved health status of the workforce thereby reducing disease burden and

improved physical fitness among others.
Mr Makgalemele highlighted that the only challenge so far in implementing the programmes was lack of understanding of the programme by the workforce.

He further stated that it was difficult to clearly separate budgetary allocation into health and wellness since they use an integrated approach in the delivery of services.

The assistant minister noted that because of the complexity of delivering clinical care a higher proportion of the budget would go to clinical services, adding that it was expected that the allocation to specific wellness events such prevention and control of NCDs shall increase in due course.

Mr Makgalemele told Parliament  that the responsibility of naming ministries was the prerogative of the President.

He, however, stated that NCDs were now a major cause of mortality globally and that Botswana was not spared.

“It is therefore necessary to add wellness to the name of the ministry in order to emphasise the importance of disease prevention through healthy lifestyle especially that this forms the thrust of the strategic direction as a ministry and also as articulated in NDP 11 submissions,” he said.

The MP for Boteti East, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe had asked the minister to appraise Parliament on the activities and programmes on wellness and the budget thereof, and the programmes for Letlhakane Primary Hospital and staff compliment assigned.

He also wanted the minister to state the benefits of wellness programmes and challenges so far if any in implementing the programmes, and the budget allocation for wellness compared to that of health and whether it was necessary to add wellness to the name of the ministry. ENDS