06 Sep 2020

Ministry Of Health and Wellness has  partnered with Botswana Police Services to install Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in 24-hour health care facilities as an add-on to available  security.

This was said by health and wellness minister , Dr Edwin Dikoloti when answering a question in Parliament on September 2.

He said the project aimed at achieving high levels of safety and security for health workers, vital equipment and supplies and  was planned for implementation in a phased approach. 

The plan, according to Dr Dikoloti was to start with 24hr health facilities in Greater Gaborone and Francistown including Princess Marina Hospital and Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital as Phase 1.

Dr Dikoloti said the assessment was carried out during 2019/2020 and 2020/2021 in all Phase 1 facilities in order to determine project scope and estimated cost.

The minister explained that the CCTV cameras would not be installed inside the consultation rooms for privacy and confidentiality reasons.

“Other security measures such as panic buttons will instead be installed in consultation rooms and other areas”, he said.

Dr Dikoloti said that implementation of the project was expected to commence during the 2020/21 financial year as part of the Botswana Police Service Safer City Project.

He said it was the responsibility of people   to ensure that facilities and health care workers were  safe.

Minister Dikoloti was answering a question in Parliament from Mr David Tshere, MP for Mahalapye West who asked the minister if he was aware that health workers especially nurses experienced abuse, attacks and worst of all rape inside consultation rooms in health facilities across the country, and what was the ministry doing to address the situation. BOPA