23 Apr 2019

The 450-bed Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital in Gaborone will open its doors today.

The commissioning manager, Dr Thato Moumakwa, told the media recently that the facility would operate as a referral that would provide “first class medical services”.

Dr Moumakwa said the hospital would be opened in phases, the first being specifically for out-patients referred by Princess Marina and Nyangabwe hospitals. He said the hospital would negate the need for government to refer patients to South Africa because, amongst other advantages, it would be convenient and cost effective to both government and patients.

Furthermore, he said the hospital would provide a platform for the University of Botswana’s faculty of medicine and institute of health services to be able to train their students. Additionally, the commissioning manager said the two institutes had programmes that required students to undergo practicals or exposure which would be accessed at the teaching hospital.

Dr Moumakwa further said the hospital would also provide an environment for medical research “because sometimes we have problems that are unique to Botswana and the region.”

He said though the hospital would be acting as a referral facility, in cases of accidents and emergencies, those in the vicinity would be allowed to be taken there directly.

The hospital has 49 examination rooms, 33 treatment rooms, 13 theatres and 36 ICU and the first phase will comprise of around 90 staff members.

He said once fully operational, t it should be running with a thousand staff complement. ENDS