05 Dec 2022

Palapye Primary Hospital project has been proposed for implementation in the 2023/24 financial year for designs subject to the availability of funds.

Responding to a parliamentary question, Assistant Minister of Health Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said the hospital was first included in the NDP 8 while funding of the hospital had been postponed during the past three NDPs due to budgetary constraints.

The hospital, he said catered for Palapye district catchment area comprising Palapye and Lerala-Maunatlala constituencies, parts of Serowe North, Serowe South and Mmadinare constituencies.

He noted that the total population of the Palapye catchment area was 95 530, while the furthest village serviced by Palapye hospital was Lerala, which is 150km away.

“Palapye hospital has a bed capacity of 50 beds with an average bed occupancy rate of 120 per cent. The number of beds at the hospital are not capable of serving the population considering the bed occupancy rate,” he said.

As for the maternity ward, Mr Lelatisitswe said the bed capacity was 18 beds, catering for an average of six deliveries per day.

He further highlighted that the maternity ward at the hospital was not capable of serving the catchment area.

However, the minister said there were clinics with maternity within the catchment area, being Maunatlala and Lerala that were also being used to decongest the hospital.

Mr Lelatisitswe also noted that Palapye hospital was located between Sekgoma and Mahalapye district hospitals that were located 40km and 72km respectively from Palapye, adding Palapye referred to these hospitals when the need arise.

Member of Parliament for Palapye, Mr Onneetse Ramogapi had wanted to know when Palalpye hospital was first included in the National Development Plan and how many times funding of the hospital was postponed or not included in the Mid-Term Review.

He had also asked the minister to state the total population of Palapye catchment area and the total number of beds at the hospital including bed capacity at the maternity ward. BOPA