09 Feb 2023

A total of 872 people across the country are in need of different types of wheelchairs, Parliament has learnt.

These include specialised adult and pediatric wheelchairs, different types of manual wheelchairs as well as electric ones.

Asssitant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe told Parliament that of these, 282 were children in need of specialised pediatric wheelchairs.

He said in the greater Selebi Phikwe DHMT, comprising Selebi Phikwe and Bobirwa districts, there were 122 people, comprising 97 adults and 25 children fitted on various types of wheelchairs.

Mr Lelatisitswe said currently Selebi Phikwe alone had 14 adults with wheelchairs and one adult awaiting to be issued with a wheelchair, adding that the ministry was in the process of procuring one for him.

With regard to children, he said Selebi Phikwe had 16 children in need of wheelchairs.

Mr Lelatisitswe said 14 children were recently issued specialised pediatric wheelchairs and that the remaining two were due to be issued.

Parliament also learnt that the ministry was currently working on a framework tender for different types of wheelchairs.

Through this tender, Mr Lelatisitswe said different wheelchairs would be fitted on people in need by end of the 2023/2024 financial year.

In addition, he said the ministry was expecting 210 wheelchairs from its partners by end of next month and that the plan was to fit all these wheelchairs to people in need by May.

He admitted that a wheelchair was an important mobility assistive device which improved the quality of life of the user and it was the ministry’s responsibility to ensure that those who were assessed and were found to be in need of the devices were assisted accordingly.

He said efforts would continue to ensure that those in need were assisted.

He was answering questions from Member of Parliament  for Selebi Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, who wanted an update on the number of patients or people living with disabilities in Botswana in need of wheelchairs, but were without them and/or are in the waiting list at health facilities or other government establishments.

He wanted the minister to unbundle the figures for Selebi Phikwe Hospital specifically or health facilities in the Selebi Phikwe District Health Management Team.

He wanted the minister to explain the ministry’s targets and time lines to eradicate the backlog and how Batswana survived without the critical mobility equipment. ENDS