15 Sep 2020

Health and wellness assistant minister, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, says the ministry has introduced a concept of clustering in order to optimise benefit from limited resources.

In August 15, he said, the ministry presented its strategic direction to acknowledge challenges such as shortage of medicine and transport as well as identifying solutions.

He said the strategic direction placed emphasis on fundamental delivery of primary health and secondary care as pillars of facilitating a healthy nation. 

Mr Lelatisitswe said the average availability of vital medicines ranged between 75 and 93 per cent.

He said the average for essential medicines ranged between 72 and 92 per cent while the necessary drugs ranged between 58 and 90 per cent against the target of 97 per cent for all categories.

Answering a question in Parliament on Monday, Mr Lelatisitswe said in the case of Mochudi East, there were five clusters that were covered by five doctors on residency and outreach basis. “This has greatly improved service delivery despite the, limited number of doctors that we have,” he said.

However, Mr Lelatisitswe said there was still a challenge of transport shortage, which hindered visits to some facilities. 

“Kgatleng District Health Management Team (DHMT) has a fleet of 38 vehicles of which 15 were functional including five ambulances and 10 non-ambulances. This clearly shows critical shortage as most facilities, including those in Mochudi East, are either sharing transport or serviced from Deborah Retief Memorial hospital,” said Mr Lelatisitswe.

With regards to nursing staff, Mr Lelatisitswe said most of the facilities in Mochudi East were satisfactorily staffed. Furthermore, ‘all the health posts are staffed with at least two nurses as per the standards.’ 

With reference to 24-hour operating clinics, the assistant minister said the constituency had a total of three facilities; Boseja II, Oodi and Bokaa clinics. 

“Other facilities outside Mochudi operate on a call basis with the exception of Modipane, Matebele, Dikwididi and Sikwane, which were serviced by nearby 24-hour clinics of those operating on call,” said Mr Lelatisitswe. 

“My ministry continues to evaluate the need for extension of hours of operation at some health facilities including those in the river villages in an effort to improve access to health facilities,” said Mr Lelatisitswe.  

Mr Lelatisitswe said it was an undisputed fact that COVID-19 had impacted negatively on the welfare of various communities across the districts, nationally and internationally. 

However,he said his ministry had not received an increase in the COVID-19 related illnesses in e Mochudi East health facilities.

Should such cases arise, Mr Lelatisitswe said patients would be referred to relevant sectors such as social and community development for assistance as such issues required a multi- sectoral approach. In an effort to improve access to health facilities, Mr Lelatisitswe said his ministry continued to evaluate the need for extension of operating hours for some health facilities in the river villages.

“My ministry continues to rationalise resources to ensure adequate distribution considering the population and statistics for facilities,” he said. 

He said an additional doctor was sent to Mmathubudukwane cluster effective early this month to improve service delivery in the river villages.

Mr Lelatisitswe was responding to a question from Mochudi East MP, Mr Mabuse Pule, who had asked the Minister of Health and Wellness if he was aware that there was no improvement in the state of health and wellness in Kgatleng especially Mochudi East since there was still not enough doctors, nurses, ambulances, medicines and 24-hour operation at clinics.

Mr Pule also asked the minister, if he was aware that COVID-19 had worsened the situation since some families’ state of health and wellness had deteriorated as a result of various financial problems and what was being done about that state of affairs. ENDS