10 Mar 2020

The Vice President and also MP for Boteti West, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said the threat posed by coronavirus might result with diversion of funds.

Debating the Ministry of Health and Wellness budget proposals in Parliament on Monday, Mr Tsogwane said all funds might be diverted to fight the scourge if the need arose and therefore Batswana should not be surprised if funds were pulled from the development budget.

He said the nation and the ministry should be prepared and take all necessary measures, adding that it was spreading at an alarming rate.

Mr Tsogwane showered Dr Kwape with praises for his constant updates on radio, and urged Batswana to continue exercising precautionary measures such as washing their hands with soap and avoiding handshakes when greeting one another.

He further appealed to Batswana to stop harboring illegal immigrants, saying doing so might put their lives at risk.

Meanwhile, the Vice President said cases of malnutrition among children were of concern, hence the need to produce more food.

He also said the National Research Council should help the country produce its own medicines to reduce imports.

For his part, MP for Lerala/Maunatlala, Mr Setlhabelo Modukanele urged the minister to quickly respond to the TB situation in Seolwane, which threatens to spread to Maunatlala.

He requested for a hospital in his constituency, saying the nearest hospital in Palapye was 100 kilometres away, adding that it had long been planned for in the National Development Plan (NDP) 9.

MP for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere said all health workers who were dismissed following the 2011 strike should be reinstated as there was a serious shortage of personnel.

He further said the health staff should be de-linked from the public service pay structure to offer them attractive salaries.

MP Tshere said the University of Botswana should continue offering administration at the Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital, saying they would be able to offer staff members better pay than government.

Meanwhile, MP Kagiso Mmusi of Gabane/Mmankgodi said ‘Lesirane clinic does not have a doctor although it caters for residents of Gabane, Tsolamosese and other parts of Mogoditshane’.

He said this had resulted in patients seeking assistance at Manyana and Thamaga clinics, wher they are sometimes turned down.

Tati East legislator, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe said coronavirus was a serious threat, adding that illegal immigrants should be monitored. He said majority of villages in his constituency had health posts and therefore requested that they be upgraded into clinics.

Dr Letsholathebe said while Botswana was declared a polio free country in 2005, the country should remain vigilant due to threats from other countries that were still grappling with the disease.

MP Motsamai Motsamai of Ghanzi South said clinics in his constituency were not connected with electricity.

He further said his constituents needed to be taught about non-communicable diseases as a prevention measure.

He requested that a primary hospital be built in Charleshill, saying currently, residents of Metsimantsho travelled long distances to access services in Ghanzi, where there is no doctor and medicines.

Responding to comments, Minister of Health and Wellness Dr Lemogang Kwape said there had been improvement in availability of medication since the country started procuring it with other SADC countries.

He said it was impossible to undertake maintenance in all facilities due to budgetary constraints, but needy ones were given priority over others.

Dr Kwape said the shortage of doctors and specialists had been a major concern for government, hence the continuation in training Batswana in those fields.

He further said China and Cuba had sent their personnel to work in the country.

The ministry, together with the First Lady Ms Neo Masisi, he said, were collaborating on teaching young girls on how to protect   themselves from getting infected with HIV. ENDS