15 Feb 2023

Parliament has heard that 23 474 patients countrywide have been issued with a chronic illness programme card since December last year.

Answering a question in Parliament on Tuesday, Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said out of the number, 699 were from the Bobirwa Sub-region.

Mr Lelatisitswe explained that one had to be a citizen of Botswana with an existing chronic illness for which they were prescribed medicines by a nurse or doctor in a government health facility for them to qualify to be issued with the card.

“The patient must be stable on treatment, meaning they are reviewed at intervals of three to six months,” he added.

He said illnesses covered under the programme included hypertension, gout, asthma, mental illnesses and chronic conditions, among others.

On an awareness programme, the assistant minister said such was done through a Botswana Television programme, Tsa Botsogo, while further information was provided to patients at health facilities.

Member of Parliament for Bobonong, Mr Taolo Lucas had asked the minister to state the criteria used for patients to qualify for the card, the number of Batswana who had been issued with it in the Bobirwa sub-region.

Mr Lucas had also wanted to know if there was any awareness programme to assist people to know about the card. ENDS