27 May 2018

Government has demonstrated commitment to addressing challenges afflicting the nation by coming up with mitigating programmes and relevant structures, Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Alfred Madigele has said.

The minister was responding to a Ntlo ya Dikgosi question tabled by specially elected member, Kgosi Maruje III who had wanted to know how conditions such as low paying jobs, poverty, hunger, lack of amenities, home ownership and unemployment affected the psychological and emotional wellbeing of the nation.

Minister Madigele said if allowed to prevail without any measures being put in place to support the nation, the mentioned conditions could lead to profound frustrations and distress.

He said it was in recognition of such adverse effects that government had initiated a number of employment programmes such as poverty eradication, women empowerment schemes, youth development funds, Remote Area Development Programme and Self Help Housing Agency.

In addition,  social safety nets had been put in place to support vulnerable groups, he said.

Dr Madigele noted that the programmes needed commitment and dedication from all concerned parties so that their intended goals and ideals could be realised.

Responding to yet another question from Kgosi Maruje III, Dr Madigele told the house that his ministry had introduced a number of interventions to deal with issues of mortality with emphasis on shifting attention to preventative care and promotion of healthy living.

In recognition of the need to emphasise the emotional and physical wellbeing of individuals, the ministry was renamed Ministry of Health and Wellness during the restructuring of ministries in 2016, he said.

Kgosi Maruje III had wanted to know what Botswana’s decline in World Happiness Index standing meant for the future health and mortality rate of the nation.

The 2016 findings of the World Happiness Index placed Botswana at 137, a 0.765 decline.

Meanwhile Minister Madigele said the ministry had no plans for a second referral hospital in Gaborone.

He revealed that specialists had been deployed in all district hospitals in an effort to decongest Princess Marina Hospital.

In addition, Scottish Livingstone Hospital had been designated to handle some referrals while the opening of Sir Ketumile Masire Hospital was expected to further reduce congestion.

He was responding to a question from Kgosi Colly Cock of Thamaga Region. ENDS