11 Apr 2019

Ministry of Health and Wellness is phasing out the Infectious Disease Control Centre (IDCC) and integrating HIV/AIDS services with a view to reduce stigma among the HIV positive patients.

This was said by Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Biggie Butale when answering a question from MP for Moshupa/Manyana, Mr Karabo Gare.

Mr Gare had asked the minister to say when there would be an expansion or upgrade of (Mmaseetsele Clinic in Moshupa to cater for an IDCC clinic as it  was planned and had been in the pipeline for several years.

However, the assistant minister explained that the ministry was in the process of constructing a hospital where those services would be offered.

Still in Parliament, Mr Butale explained that the ministry had initiated the process of refurbishing and installing some physiotherapy equipment at the Moshupa Boys Prison and the exercise was planned to be completed by the end of June.

He was responding to a question from MP Gare, who had asked the assistant minister if he was aware that patients from Moshupa-Manyana constituency had to travel to Gaborone or Kanye to access physiotherapy services yet there was a fully-fledged facility lying idle at Moshupa Boys Prison.

The assistant minister told the House that in 2018, the ministry approached and negotiated with Botswana Prisons Services headquarters to use those rooms to offer physiotherapy services, and an approval was granted, hence the refurbishment.

Mr Butale further stated that he was aware that patients from Moshupa-Manyana constituency travelled to Gaborone or Kanye to access such services, while there were rooms at Moshupa Boys Prison that could be used to offer physiotherapy services. ENDS