10 Mar 2020

The last maintenance of Palapye Primary Hospital was in August 2019, says Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe.

Responding to a question in Parliament on Monday, Mr Lelatisitswe said the maintenance covered replacement of ceilings in General and Paediatric wards.

He however stated that the major maintenance of the hospital through the district health management, which includes structural, roofing and ceilings, plumbing, electrical works and external works, was at tender evaluation stage.

Mr Lelatisitswe pointed out that the medical equipment at the hospital included the portable X-ray machine, ultrasound, anaesthetic machine and two other transport ventilators and autoclave machine, which were serviced in November 2019 and 2016 respectively and that the next service is in June.

He said the tender for the replacement of the X-ray and autoclaves machines nationally was due for advertising before end of the current financial year, with expected delivery by second quarter of 2020/2021 financial year.

Mr Lelatisitswe said they faced challenges of shortage of healthcare workers across the cadres, both professionals and non-professionals in the health facilities, adding that Palapye hospital was also experiencing the same.

In addition, he said most of the hospital departments were fairly staffed except for the administration, which had only 12 orderlies, 17 cleaners, two gate keepers and two night watchmen.

In a bid to address the situation, he added, the ministry continued to engage temporary employees.

“Going forward there are plans to outsource security services in all health facilities and for Palapye it is at consultation stage,” he said.

Mr Lelatisitswe said the average medicine availability in Palapye during the month of January was 74.6 per cent (vital 89 per cent, essential 63 per cent and necessary 79 per cent) while in February the medicine availability was at 97 per cent.

He said his ministry was providing all hospitals and District Health Management Teams with funds to procure from the private market drugs and non-drugs that are out of stock at Central Medical Stores.

He noted that Palapye was allocated P3 million of which P2.5 million had been spent to procure medicines from private pharmacies.

Member of Parliament for Palapye, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had asked the minister when the last maintenance was carried out on Palapye Primary Hospital and if there were any plans to maintain the building and also the status of all medical equipment and the last time they were serviced.

Mr Ramogapi also wanted to know the quantity of drugs stocked in Palapye and if quantity of drugs was sufficient to cater for Palapye and if not, what he intended to do to address the situation.

The assistant minister was also to state the staff complement at the hospital’s departments, whether there was shortage or excess and what he intended to do if there was shortage. ENDS