13 Oct 2020

Head of Kweneng East District Health Management Team (DHMT), Dr Thomas Baaise, says he will consult and come up with appropriate answers on how to handle the issue of emergency services that continues to dominate discussions during the ongoing Kweneng District Council session. 

This follows concerns raised by councillors at the ongoing full council meeting that health officials were reluctant to collect patients from their homes with an ambulance. 

Meanwhile, councillor for Thamaga East, Mr Pulane Piet said lives of patients admitted at Thamaga Primary Hospital were at risk after working hours, as the arrangement made for doctors on call to use the Call Room was not utilised. 

He said such placed patients’ lives in jeopardy as doctors took long to return to work when called for duty. 

“Let us understand why this is not possible for doctors on call to use the call room provided by the hospital, but instead choose to be picked from their homes,” argued Councillor Piet. 

However, Dr Baaise explained that there was no provision for call rooms in primary hospitals. 

However, Councillor Selala further argued that every leader had the power to create a new order that would leave behind a legacy than to resist change. 

“Let us look into the matter seriously as it is a matter that can be resolved without external forces,” advised Councillor Selala. 

Cllr Motoroko also challenged Kweneng East DHMT to improve the way SHE desk was being manned at Lentsweletau Clinic, arguing that health of individuals at the said facility were compromised as security personnel had been put to man it. 

Councillors also complained about lack of maintenance of dilapidated district health facilities despite the availability of two companies engaged for such an undertaking. 

Ministry of Health and Wellness has engaged two companies on a three-year contract for facilities maintenance in the district and the contract is coming to an end in a month’s time. 

In response, Dr Baaise promised to take up the matter of ambulance services with relevant authorities to help come up with a proper way of dealing with it as per the guidelines on the provision of Emergency Services. 

Dr Baaise further explained that ambulance services were meant to protect life, not to transport corpses. 

Meanwhile, the Scottish Livingstone Corporate Services head, Mr Abednico Mafhoko promised to take up the matter on security officers operating as SHE officers. 

He assured the house that the situation would be normalised by placing health workers to carry out such duties and allow the security personnel to focus on theirs. 

Mr Mafhoko concurred with councillors over the appalling state of health facilities in the district, saying the two contractors engaged for such facilities would also be consulted regarding the matter. ENDS