12 Oct 2017

Government aims to maximise services and ensure efficient service delivery in all health facilities country-wide.

Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Kefentse Mzwinila told Letlhakane Primary Hospital management team recently that health was one of the sectors which had always been prioritised when allocating budget, but performance contradicted capital injected.

He said it was essential to optimise services, saying drug allocation had been de-centralised to enhance service provision.

He said it was critical to establish strategies to enhance service provision, saying people should be more concerned with attaining wellness.

He stated that government was dealing with competing national priorities that were in existence for allocation of budget.

Mr Mzwinila said government was trying to address a burden of accommodation shortage, saying there was a backlog of 60 000 housing units across all ministries.

Letlhakane Chief Medical Officer, Dr Jacqueline Kasambala had complained of shortage of staff in some cadres such as doctors, pharmacists, midwives and other supporting staff as well as lack of replacement of transferred officers.

She stated that 15 nurses were transferred out and replaced with another 15, who were at lower level positions. Dr Kasambala said there was also delayed promotion and progression of officers, adding that there was unfairness and delay in transfer of staff.

Lack of accommodation, she said, was a serious challenge, stating that there were 44 institutional houses, 18 of which were delapidated bachelor flats catering for 199 staff members in Letlhakane only.

She called for provision of vehicles that could suit the terrain and availing dedicated suppliers.

The hospital management also complained that the facility was operating with five doctors, four  of whom lacked inexperience.

One of the new junior doctors confirmed that they lacked mentorship, saying they only had two years’ work experience.

District Health Management Team principal pharmacist, Dr David Gitindi said P1 million provision for drugs was insufficient for Boteti East and West.

Dr Gitindi said they were going to need another P1 million as they had already exhausted the initial P1 million in the first two quarters because Central Medical Stores did not provide drugs as they should.

Chief administration officer, Mr Motshegetse Kabelo said it was essential for personnel to attend the incinerator, boiler and generator 24 hours.

He also suggested that each facility such as clinics should have an ambulance. ENDS