29 Aug 2019

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi has described nurses as the backbone of Botswana’s health care system.

Speaking during nurses’ day and awards ceremony in Kasane on August 29, Dr Masisi said nurses were critical in ensuring that health services reached all Batswana.

Dr Masisi said the great strides the country had made in the health sector testified to nurses’ commitment, loyalty and diligence.

He said the day’s theme, “Nurses: A voice to lead; Health for All”, was in line with the Vision 2036 pillar of Human and Social Development which defines good health and wellness as basic human rights.

President Masisi said among government’s key health sector  strategies were universal health care coverage, primary health care and staff welfare.

Universal coverage, he said, sought to ensure that all people got quality health services without enduring financial hardships.

“In this regard, we have already made notable and commendable strides in that currently 92 per cent of our people have access to health facilities within a radius of eight kilometres,” he said.

Dr Masisi said the facilities offered health care programmes aimed at improving quality of life and health for citizens.

He said Botswana’s health care system emphasised the provision of preventative, curative and rehabilitative health services.

Dr Masisi said he was aware of the challenges faced by nurses such as security, disparity in the nurse to patient ratio and the strain it caused.

He said government continued to dialogue with union representatives to amicably address the concerns.

The President said in pursuit of attaining a knowledge-based economy, nurses’ skills and future would be improved by approaching leading global academic institutions to avail opportunities.

For his part, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Alfred Madigele said nurses’ presence and leadership particularly in rural and remote communities had been the major drive behind achieving health for all.

He said his ministry continued to facilitate the nursing profession in amplifying their voice and leadership capacity through various initiatives such as the endorsement of the first ever Nursing and Midwifery Strategy for Botswana.

The strategy would also give effect to the Nursing Now initiative, he explained.

He said as part of strengthening partnerships that would benefit the nursing fraternity, Ms Keoagetse Kgwabi, a Motswana, had been elected the East, Central and Southern Africa College of Nursing president.

Mr Madigele said the ministry was concerned about the increasing incidents of violence against health workers.

“It is for this reason that we have teamed up with Botswana Police in a bid to address some of the security gaps but I also appeal to the community that nurses are part of them and harming them is equivalent to harming oneself,” he said.

Earlier, Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) president, Mr Obonolo Rahube called for government’s undivided attention to the nurses’ needs and welfare including security in the workplace, being on call and congestion at C1 scale.

Mr Rahube said while nursing was classified an essential service, nurses were not entitled to free electricity, water and accommodation suggesting that they should at least be given a 15 per cent allowance.

Botswana, he noted, was signatory to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) but nurses were still not being paid double rate for paid holidays and weekends as articulated by ILO.

He called for the fast tracking of nurses training to degree and masters levels in line with the Nursing Now initiative.

Mr Rahube however commended government for the employment of the 130 graduate nurses at Princess Marina and Nyangabgwe hospitals.

He also thanked government for increasing nurses’ day funds from P390 000 to P600 000, the extension and backdating of post basic allowance to specialised nurses, the newly introduced policy that nurses upgrading up to C1 should be done at district level and the promotion of nurses to policy making decision scales.

A number of nurses received awards under different categories including teaching and clinical excellence, meritorious service as well as long service and good conduct. Ends