20 Jul 2017

Gaborone Rotary Club has donated equipment worth over P164 000 to Bamalete Luthren Hospital (BLH).

The equipment, cardiotocography or Electronic Fetal Monitor (EFM), is used to record the baby’s heartbeat as well as contractions.

Speaking at the donation recently, BLH board chairperson, Mr Phenyo Segokgo said the hospital, which is a mission-owned hospital, was faced with shortage of resources.

He said financial assistance from government was not enough and most of the funding was also affected by the slow economic recovery from the recession.

Mr Segokgo, who is also the South East District Council chairperson, said since the hospital was established about 80 years ago, it had good and bad stories to tell.

However, he said it was exciting to have stakeholders such as Rotary Club coming on board to assist the mission-run hospital.

“We are one of the best health care providers in the country, people from all corners of the country trust us,” added Mr Segokgo.

Gaborone Rotary Club president, Ms Tebogo George said the donation was traced back to 2016 when a member of the club, who used to work at BLH, mooted the idea.

Ms George said it had been a journey to find the right equipment for the hospital and added that Rotary Club was a service organisation that served the community.

Therefore, she expressed hope that the cardiotocography would help the hospital to carry on with the good job that it had been doing.

Ms George promised that they would in the near future visit the hospital to check how the equipment was impacting the hospital community and also showcase it to the world.

For his part, the area Member of Parliament, Mr Samuel Rantuana said the hospital had built a good reputation for its excellent service.

He said the donation would go a long way in helping the hospital to boost its good reputation.

“We will always cherish this donation and it will be of good use,” Mr Rantuana said.

Nonetheless, he decried that the hospital was failing to attract doctors, adding however that he was hopeful that developments such as the cardiotocography would lure specialists.

The BLH chief executive officer, Mr Moagi Mmitsi stated that the hospital was faced with insufficient funds, adding that the maternity ward was last renovated 25 years ago.

“It is the oldest building in the hospital, it cannot even house modern equipment,” he said.

He however said such challenges would not deter them from moving forward. BOPA