06 Mar 2018

Parliament has approved a budget proposal for the Ministry of Health and Wellness for the 2018/19 financial year which was presented by the Assistant Minister, Mr Dikgang Makgalemele on March 5.

The budget amounted to P8.2 billion   and comprised P7.6 billion  in recurrent estimates as well as P569 million in development expenditure.

Mr Makgalemele explained that the recurrent budget was an increase of P999 483 970 or 15.2 per cent against the 2017/18 financial year budget for the ministry.

He attributed the increase to creation of new positions as well as the adjustment of salaries and related allowances by around 17.5 per cent, buildings maintenance, increase in costs of drugs and vaccines supply and Anti-Retroviral Drugs and Laboratory Supplies among other things.

The assistant minister said the bulk of the recurrent budget amounting to P6 213152 670 would go to the Department of Clinical Services.

“The Department is responsible for all government hospitals, clinics, primary health care facilities, Central Medical Stores and National Health Laboratory,” he said.

He added that the ministry headquarters had been allocated a budget of P891 407 360 which is the second largest share of the recurrent budget. Amongst other things, he said the funds would be spent on replacement of 75 ambulances and maintenance of vehicles and the running of Institutes of Health Sciences.

He said the remaining P481 899 580 would be divided amongst other five departments being, Public Health, Health Sector Relations & Partnerships, Policy Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, Health Inspectorate and HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care.

In terms of development, Mr Makgalemele pointed out that P4 240 000 would be allocated for the ministry consultancies while P163 000 000 had been reserved for Primary Health Care Services.

He said the ministry would undertake designs and or upgrading of clinics in Sepopa, Makgophana, Ngarange, Borotsi in Mahalapye, Toteng, Kauxwi, Dibete and D’kar and Letlhakeng during the 2018/19 financial year.

“The following upgrading of clinics, Lerala, Nata, Mabutsane, Molapowabojang, Charleshill, Kgwatlheng, Middlepits, Mosetse, Gopong, Ditshegwane, Tswaaneng, Zwenshambe, Paje, Xhaoga, Sekoma, Matlhakola, Semitwe and Makuta cannot be accommodated in 2018/19 owing to financial constraints across government.

The projects will be considered in future, funds permitting,” he said.

He added that hospital services was allocated P296 578 090, noting that the money would be used to continue the construction of Shakawe hospital, Rakops operating theatre completion, completion of refurbishments of old hospitals including Old Scottish Hospital, Old Sekgoma, Old Mahalapye Hospital, Sefhare Hospital, among others.

He further said ‘construction of Moshupa Primary Hospital is expected to commence during the 2018/19 financial year.’

Mr Makgalemele further said P101 083 560 had been reserved for the HIV and AIDS Programmes. He said the ministry was in pursuit of reforming the health sector to improve quality of care and enable Batswana to take responsibility for their health and wellness and facilitate a healthier lifestyle platform for the citizenry of Botswana.

The assistant minister said this had necessitated a re-structuring exercise which included the strengthening of Health Service Delivery through the de-concentration of services to the districts.

He further said the ministry had made a proposal on the introduction of a unique pay structure for its employees matched with full implementation of the new structure to address its human resource challenges.

“Provision of sustainable quality health services can only be fully realized if adequate financial resources are available to the health sector.

We have in the last year worked on concluding our Health Financing Strategy, which is at an advanced stage of completion and will go through the approval process during 2018/19.

As part of this Strategy, there will be consideration for a Blue Print which is meant to facilitate universal health coverage in the country,” said the assistant minister.

He further noted that the ministry had started the Healthy Cities Initiative that aims at encouraging cities to closely work with the private sector and non-government organisations to incorporate health issues and health concerns into all aspects of public policy to promote good health and well-being of citizens.

The ministry, he added, had intensified the fight against Non-Communicable Diseases and their risk factors.

He further said Botswana was continuing with the Treat All initiative as it strives to achieve the 90.90.90 UNAIDS targets.

“The country has adopted new innovations like HIV self-testing and implementation modalities are being worked out.

The ministry with the assistance of PEPFAR has been able to develop a Treat All communication strategy and it is being disseminated to the districts to assist in improving uptake of this initiative,” he said.

He said since its inception in 2008, the Alcohol Levy has accrued P2 837 878 708 as at the end of 2017 and the ministry of Health and Wellness received 10 per cent of the funds to support the mitigation of alcohol and substance abuse.

He further said cervical cancer was a leading cause of death among general and reproductive cancers and to address the issue, the ministry had continued to expand cervical cancer prevention and screening services.

“To this end, screening women for pre-cervical cancer lesions using Visual Inspection Using Acetic Acid (VIA) has been rolled out to 22 districts,” he said.

Contributing to the debate on the budget proposal, MP for Nkange, Mr Edwin Batshu asked for the construction of a hospital in Tutume and expansion of the Selolwane Clinic which was built by Dada Foundation, which he said was small.

Mr Batshu also raised a concern about shortage of necessary equipment in the Ministry of Health and Wellness ambulances.

MP for Maun East, Mr Konstantinos Markus asked for doctors to be increased at Letsholathebe Hospital in Maun, which he said experiences a congestion of patients.

He also said the roof at the facility should be maintained because it becomes porous when there is rain.

The legislator also complained about shortage of drugs and medicine at the hospital.

Furthermore, he asked the ministry to build a health facility in Khwai village in his constituency. ENDS