24 Sep 2018

The envisaged Botswana Children’s Cancer and Hematology Centre (BCCHC) will reduce the costs incurred by the government when referring patients to private hospitals in South Africa.

Speaking during a visit to the Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine recently, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said in Botswana about 300 children develop cancer each year and in the last 74 months over 12 000 patients had been referred.

He said with the increasing cases of childhood cancers in Botswana there was a compelling need to efficiently and properly diagnose children with cancer and institute immediate life-saving treatment.

“It is for that reason that the government and Botswana-Baylor Children’s Centre of Excellence signed a comprehensive pediatric haematology and oncology agreement with the objective of improving child survival for Batswana children with cancer and other blood disorders,” he said.

Mr Masisi said the planned centre would serve as a pediatric haematology and oncology for the Sub-Saharan region and would position Botswana as a training centre for future cancer and blood disorders specialists.

He said the project had all the hallmarks of what he considered to be the ultimate goal for Botswana regarding cutting-edge health science research and young doctors, scientists.

“Other health professionals will be trained and capacitated to take a lead in helping children with cancer to receive high-quality care, thereby achieving survival rates equivalent to those in the United States and other high-income countries,” President Masisi said.

The President further added that “It is my hope that the centre we plan to build in Botswana will achieve a comparable or even better transformative impact on the lives of the children with cancer and blood disorders in our country and beyond.”

Mr Masisi said the Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine had been invaluable partners in Botswana’s endeavour to strengthen the health system and Batswana would remain forever grateful to the generous response to an urgent appeal at the height of the HIV/ AIDS pandemic.

“The biggest assets that you have given to the nation of Botswana is the establishment of the Botswana-Baylor Children’s Clinical Centre of Excellence as the centre brought hope to children, adolescents and their families through the main clinic In Gaborone and its outreach services across the country,” he said.

He said the centre had provided care and support to over 12 000 HIV-infected children and adolescents and in collaboration with National AIDS Coordinating Agency (NACA) and the Ministry of Education trained over 25 000 teachers on issues of pediatric HIV in schools.

“With the viral load suppression of the patients that it cares for being 90 per cent and mortality rate of less than two per cent, certainly your contribution to epidemic control and towards the 90-90-90 fast track targets is immeasurable,” he said.

He said the Baylor-Botswana had also contributed immensely to the body knowledge through research, which is one area that Texas Children’s Hospital must together invest in and build capacity across all service and academic institutions.

He said to date Baylor-Botswana and Baylor College of Medicine International Pediatric AIDS Initiative had provided over US$23 million as support for HIV/AIDS care, treatment, prevention, training and capacity building.

Other partners in the project include Bristol-Myers Squibb, the US government, UNICEF and other companies.

Mr Masisi, however said based on the expenditure, referral patterns and mortality rates, it was clear that there was further need for assistance in areas of training and service delivery in cardiology, emergency medical care, critical care surgery for both children and adults, radiology, pathology, supply chain management, leadership and hospital management.

“There are further broader potential areas for investment in establishment of pharmaceutical industries, manufacturing of medical equipment and supplies and provision of modern treatment facilities for specialist care, diagnostics, teaching and research and I invite potential investors not only in the health sector but other areas of interest to come and invest in Botswana,” he said.

Speaking on the sidelines, the Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Alfred Madigele said the visit to the Texas Children Hospital provided an opportunity for the Botswana delegation to visualise the type of facilities and level Botswana could aspire for through the planned paediatric cancer and haematology centre. He said the visit would also strengthen the relationship between Botswana and Baylor.

Dr Madigele implored Batswana not to delay in seeking medical attention for cancer and other blood disorders for their children, adding that in some cases parent delayed until cancer in their children reached late stages. ENDS