13 May 2021

Ngami District Health Management Team (DHMT) has received a multipurpose copier and associated supplies worth P200 000 from the Centres for Disease Control (CDC).

The donation followed a request from the Boseja Clinic for a photocopier to optimise service delivery for patients receiving HIV services.

Speaking during the handing over ceremony on Tuesday, CDC country director Dr Pauline Harvey said they managed to procure the photocopier and other accessories and revealed that the donation was a collaborative effort with, Health Resources Services Administration (HRSA) and I-TECH Botswana.

She expressed hope that the donation would improve health services for the Ngami community. Dr Harvey explained that Boseja clinic was one of the 18 facilities to which CDC provided direct support.

She said CDC supported HIV services, data management as well as quality improvement initiatives. She said last year, CDC provided Ngami facilities with 10 laptops to support data management for patients on ART treatment.

She promised continuous support to promote the health and well-being of the Ngamiland community and the country at large.

In addition, she said she trusted that the partnership with the Ministry of Health and Wellness towards creating an AIDS-free generation would grow.

Dr Harvey said CDC and the ministry had a long history, dating back to 1995 when they started the BOTUSA project, which aimed to generate information to improve tuberculosis control efforts in Botswana and elsewhere, in the face of the TB and HIV/AIDS co-epidemics.

Under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), she said CDC worked closely with the ministry to build a robust national HIV response, which included HIV testing efforts, Antiretroviral treatment, prevention of HIV mother-to-child transmission and TB prevention and control programme, among others.

In addition, she said through the said programmes, CDC ensured the quality of HIV services and other programmes by providing direct technical support to the ministry staff and facilities through its highly skilled public health advisors.

Dr Harvey said CDC also provided support through its implementing partners who work to enhance quality services, through training, mentorship, site monitoring visits and the development of remediation plans.

On behalf of the Director of Health Services, Mr Abia Sebaka thanked CDC for the noble gesture, saying it marked the graduation of the clinics in moving towards the provision of high-quality patient-centric service through PEPFAR support in the district.

He said the ministry was grateful for the ongoing engagement, commitment and support from PEPFAR. To date, he said it had supported the 18 sites in many areas and thus improved service delivery, reduced loss of follow-up of clients and improved retention of clients and data quality management.

Giving the background of the partnership, Mr Sebaka highlighted that in 2019, the ministry and PEPFAR committed to working as ‘One Botswana’, with all stakeholders to strengthen the health sector by reducing barriers and enhancing evidence-based strategies to support client-focused health services to reach epidemic control and 95-95-95 targets across all sex and age bands.

With the support from PEPFAR, he said the ministry agreed to replicate and scale up relevant reboot strategies to selected 18 sites with the highest disease burden, including Boseja clinic, then expanding nationally to ensure patients continue to receive quality services throughout the country.

Ngami DHMT coordinator, Dr Sandra Maripe-Ebutswe appreciated the donation, saying it would make a difference in health service delivery.

She said the donation would not only benefit Maun but the entire district. Dr Maripe-Ebutswe said the Boseja clinic was the busiest as it offered several services, including the ARV programme.

Area councillor Mr Limit Banyatsang assured CDC that the donation would be put to good use for the benefit of the community. 

He said the Ngami area faced a myriad of health challenges, which needed CDC’s intervention, adding that he hoped it would continue to assist where possible. Ends