13 Apr 2022

The Botsogo Pitso which was hosted by the Lobatse District Health Management Team (DHMT) in Molapowabojang on Tuesday, revealed a number of issues among them the need for the village clinic to operate 24 hrs.

Residents said changing hours would of operation would also save them the costs of travelling to Lobatse to access services.

Kgosi Kedirile Letshabo noted that the village had grown and required improved health services among them more nurses and a vehicle that could relieve the ambulance, which was shared with other nearby areas.

“The village is big and it needs resources that fit the size. We need a vehicle that could be used to transport specimens such as blood to the hospital,” he said.

Responding to Kgosi Letshabo’s concerns, Greater Lobatse DHMT coordinator Dr Motlalepula Pone said they were in talks with the relevant authorities for the clinic to operate 24 hours since a request for a primary hospital had not been successful.

Dr Pone said to address the shortage of nurses, two more nurses were posted to the area.

“We know that they are not enough but they will assist in curbing the situation,” she said.

She assured residents that once doctors were available, their village would be among the first to be considered.

She explained that they were experiencing high numbers of resignations, as more doctors left for greener pastures.

Dr Pone also shared with the community the ministry’s procedure of lodging a complaint if they were not satisfied with the service received.

She further informed residents that COVID-19 was still a concern, and encouraged them to vaccinate and take a booster jab.

“Vaccines are available, let us vaccinate because if you get infected while you have not taken your vaccine, you might not recover,” she added.

For her part, the Head of Pharmacy at Greater Lobatse DHMT, Ms Nkeletsang Monyepi said there was a shortage of chronic diseases medicine globally.

She said most of the medicines were manufactured outside the country and pharmaceutical companies had been affected by COVID-19 hence unable to meet  the global demand.

Ms Monyepi said the ministry had made agreements with some private-owned pharmacies to help address the problem as an effort to ensure that communities had access to such medicines.

The pitso gave the community and health officials an opportunity to reflect on issues of concern and how the status of healthcare in the area can be improved.  ENDS