11 Aug 2019

Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Mr Shaw Kgathi, has challenged health professionals to devote part of their time to public education. 

Speaking at an official opening of Clyde View Dental Clinic in Bobonong on August 10, Mr Kgathi called on health professionals, especially private practitioners, to intensify public education, which he said was critical towards improved health. 

He said ‘Tsa Botsogo’ programme on Botswana Television was not enough to dispense health education. 

Mr Kgathi, who is also an MP for Bobonong, called on the proprietor of Clyde View Dental Clinic, Dr Kago Moshoeshoe, to take a leaf from First Health Foundation, which brought into Bobonong various health specialists and nurses to provide free medical services to constituents. 

The minister said such  arrangement saved many lives that could have otherwise perished. 

He said people also acquired not only medical attention, but also free health education. 

Mr Kgathi applauded Dr Moshoeshe for bringing dental services to a place considered not viable for business, urging him to help in educating constituents on dental health. 

He said despite Bobonong lacking in some amenities and resulting in some people considering rendering their services elsewhere, Dr Moshoeshoe should work on establishing his clientele and satisfying it. 

He also proposed that Dr Moshoeshoe team up with other specialist doctors to establish a medical centre where patients could access all services at one stop. 

Mr Kgathi reminded Dr Moshoeshoe about the difficulty of the terrain, but advised that ‘there is nothing impossible.’ 

“There will be trepidations along the way, but if you can’t start it, who will?” Mr Kgathi said. 

He said time was ripe for private doctors to utilise available operating spaces at public facilities because it was working for other countries. 

The move, he said, would address shortage of doctors at the facilities though at a fee. 

For his part, Dr Moshoeshoe, a explained that his services in Bobonong were an outreach with the main branch in Palapye. 

However, he clarified that the clinic would render all the services. 

The Bobonong clinic would operate from Monday to Wednesday. 

Though he conceded that there will be challenges along the way, Dr Moshoeshoe thanked Minister Kgathi for sharing with him his success stories as a catalyst to soldier on. Ends