02 Mar 2022

Lending support to companies that manufacturer personal protective equipment (PPE) can boost the country’s economy, says the Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe. The assistant minister said this in Gaborone on Tuesday when touring Southoak Medical facilities, a local company that produces medical equipment.

He said most of the PPE supplied locally had been tested and quality was of international standard.

“I kindly urge you to support them equally like the ministry which forks bills of millions of Pula in support of private hospitals every month,” he said.

Mr Lelatisitswe had invited management of Bokamoso, Sidilega and Gaborone Private Hospital as well as Central Medical Stores to appreciate capacity of Southoak Medical.

He encouraged the Central Medical Stores to improve their planning saying they should not rather rush to procure outside the country instead of empowering local companies.

Chief Executive Officer of Local Enterprise Authority (LEA), Dr Racious Moatshe advised the private hospitals to find balance between buying locally and outside.

 Ms Mmabatho Machobane, public relations officer at Sidilega Private Hospital, promised to honour the assistant minister’s plea by growing their support of local firms.

As a testimony, Ms Machobane said private hospitals had hired local specialists in appreciation of their services.

Southoak medical director, Ms Kgalalelo Machacha, said their vision was to become one of the trusted supplier of medical equipment. The company, she said, was 100 per cent locally owned and had hired 17 people.

She said the company was financed by CEDA and also thanked LEA for the support. ENDs