15 Jun 2021

The soon to be opened Maun private hospital will help bring services closer not only to the village’s residents but to the North West District population as a whole.

 Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said this in an interview following a tour of the facility recently.

The hospital would help save lives as North West District residents would no longer have to travel as far as Francistown and Gaborone for private medical services, he said.

Mr Lelatisitswe emphasised the importance of government-private sector collaboration pointing out that the state depended on some private hospital services.

Owned by a couple, former Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital employees Dr Divya Kallarackal and Dr Dharampal Singh, the hospital is situated in Maun’s New Town Ward.

Speaking in an interview, Dr Kallarackal, a gynaecologist by profession, said they were based at Letsholathebe Memorial Hospital for about four years.

She said their experience enamoured them of Maun resulting in the decision to stay after expiration of contracts.

Dr Kallarackal explained that the aim was to bring specialists closer for the benefit of Maun community.

“Patients go to as far as Gaborone to see specialists which is costly for both individuals and the government,” she said.

Dr Kallarackal revealed that the facility had recently passed an inspection and was in the process of opening its doors to the public.

In the first phase, 20 people had been employed with more to be hired with time, she explained.

Dr Kallaracka said a significant aspect of the hospital was its Intensive Care Unit (ICU) which was important in the COVID-19 era.

The facility also boasts an outpatient department, general wards, paediatric and maternity wards, surgery, pharmacy, accident and emergency department as well as a theatre. ENDS