24 Jul 2022

Local manufacturers have the capacity to produce quality products matching those in international markets, acting Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe has said. 

Mr Lelatisitswe said this on the sidelines of his familiarisation tour of 6Health factory in Mmamashia Thursday. 

As such, he urged hospitals and companies to support local manufacturing companies in the health industry, including 6Health factory. 

He said the factory, which specialised in manufacturing medical and surgical masks, was operated by Batswana and that demonstrated capability. 

“Therefore it needs a chance to penetrate the market,” he said, adding that buying from local manufacturers would not only promote manufacturing of medical devices in the country, but also create thousands of jobs to boost local economy. 

Again, he said companies that manufactured goods that were in response to COVID-19 needed support. 

“6Health masks are eligible to continue further even after COVID-19, especially that they provide significant protection against bodily fluids together with airborne particulate matter,” he said. 

Further, he said in supporting such companies would reduce Botswana’s dependence on other countries. 

The minister therefore assured 6Health of government’s full support to ensure that the company had access to local markets because it was an important linkage to the health value chain. 

“Government will also ensure that proper laws and measures are put in place to promote fair trading by companies in the country,” he said. 

For her part, the company director, Dr Unami Mathumo appreciated the minister’s visit to the facility particularly that they had stalled production due to lack of support which she said had resulted in laying off about 16 of their employees because they could no longer afford their salaries.

 “There were no markets as local companies were opting to import from neighbouring countries while others preferred Chinese merchandise that were in competition with their masks,” she said.  Nevertheless, she told the minister that the company would, in the future, look into expanding its services amidst the COVID-19 pandemic which had affected the global economic growth. 

Dr Mathumo also told the minister that the company was currently producing three million masks a month with potential to increase, based on demand. She added that they also desired to grow the company in order to create employment for more Batswana. 

She also said they produced both medical and surgical masks meeting the European standards in accordance with EN14683: 2019 under Type 2R classification. “That means that the masks are splash resistant. 

They meet international standard and classification that is used to service hospitals and other medical environment,” she said. 

She added that not only were the masks splash resistant, but were also three-layered with bacterial filtration efficiency of 98 per cent to block any body fluids or any other that may splash towards them. “Our surgical Type 2R masks provide significant protection against airborne particulate matter such as viruses, bacteria, dust, pollen, soot and automobile exhaust. They are designed for better inhalation, making it the premium quality with the highest efficiency of the range,” she said. 

Dr Mathumo further said the Type 2R medical masks were crucial in any professional setting for health care workers everywhere including companies dealing with hazardous splatters. 

She said their masks were marked ‘6H’ for easy identification and traceability as well as toassist in the event of a need to recall them. 

“Our production plant is fully automated, therefore there is no human intervention until masks are ejected in packaging. 

Mr Lelatisitswe was accompanied by officials from Bokamoso and Sidilega private hospitals, Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) and Central Medical Stores (CMS). Ends