26 Jul 2013

Parliament has been informed that the average waiting time for patients seen at the Accident and Emergency section of Princess Marina Hospital differ according to the urgency or seriousness of the patients’ conditions.

Answering a question from the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central on July 25, Mr Dumelang Saleshando, Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri said there are three categories of patients, which are priority one, two and routine,  which are looked into before being attended to.

Priority one patients, he said are those who are very critical and should be seen in three to five minutes or immediately.

He said the average waiting time is 30 minutes, noting that those patients that are extremely critical are seen immediately.

Priority two patients, he said are urgent patients but not threatening and their average waiting time is 60 minutes.

Routine patients, he said are those very stable patients who can be actually served at local clinics but rather choose Princess Marina Hospital adding that their average waiting time is 80 minutes.

MP Saleshando had asked the minister to state the average waiting time for patients at the Accident and Emergency section of Princess Marina Hospital. ENDS