01 Mar 2020

The Ministry of Health and Wellness is considering to set up an independent health inspectorate, assistant minister, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe told Parliament Thursday.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Mr Lelatisitswe explained that the health inspectorate would be responsible for, among other things, providing regulatory policies, standards and guidelines for monitoring the health sector performance.

He also indicated that a Health Quality Bill 2020 had been formulated to repeal the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Act of 1989 through which an independent health inspectorate could established.

He acknowledged some challenges that health facilities were faced with.

He further said the health services director’s office, through regulatory bodies, addressed issues of regulation and patient safety.

“In addition to restructuring the ministry, there has been an upgrade of monitoring of health services by forming a Department of Health Services Monitoring Evaluation and Quality Assurance that was not there in the previous structure,” he added.

Again, he told Parliament that the ministry had conducted an assessment of health data systems and status of selected health indicator through which they had been able to identify areas requiring improvements.

The assistant minister was responding to a question from Francistown West MP, Mr Ignatius Moswaane, who wanted to know when the ministry would consider setting up an independent health commission, which would set standards and examine operations by health facilities.

MP Moswaane also said most of the hospitals offered poor service and therefore asked the minister when they would address the problem. ENDS