14 Mar 2023

The Ministry of Health will continue to improve access to health care service by constructing and upgrading existing health facilities, says Acting Minister Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe.

Presenting the ministry’s development and recurrent budget estimates for the 2023/2024 financial year on Monday, Mr Lelatisitswe said among the ongoing developments was the Joseph Polaano Kavindama Primary Hospital in Shakawe that was partially opened in October last year offering maternity, dental, laboratory and general outpatient services among other services.

He said the hospital was anticipated to be fully operational in the first quarter of 2023/24 financial year.

Mr Lelatisitswe also revealed that construction of a 70-bed primary hospital and 69 staff houses in Moshupa was ongoing with progress at 75 per cent and 99 per cent respectively.

“Non-performance of the mechanical sub-contractor has affected progress for the hospital and this has a negative impact on the timelines of delivering the project on both time and cost,” he explained.

He also indicated that the design work for upgrading of Letlhakeng clinic to a primary hospital Level 1 was planned for completion in July while construction was anticipated to start in November.

Construction of a clinic in Makgophana, Mochudi, he said, stood at 82 per cent and its completion was delayed by poor performance by the contractor while Toteng Clinic was complete and utilised.

He added that progress for Ngarange Clinic had stalled at 80 per cent e since February last year as a result of a claim dispute between the contractor and the ministry while Kauxwi, Dibete and Sepopa clinics were ongoing at 86, 89 and 92 per cent completion respectively.

On maintenance of facilities, Mr Lelatisitswe stated that during the 2022/2023 financial year, the ministry completed installation of standby generators in 30 clinics with maternity across the country.

Regarding electrification of health facilities, he said 12 facilities were connected to the Botswana Power Corporation grids.

He further said major maintenance of Letlhakane and Rakops Hospitals started in January, adding “the scope of works includes attending to all defects such as painting, electrical, plumbing and carpentry works.”

In an effort to deal with the situation of bats infestation and resultant bad smell at staff houses in Chobe, Okavango, Ngami and Boteti regions, he said the ministry had embarked on a project called Safe eviction of bats, cleaning and disinfection and bat proofing for Chobe, Ngami, Boteti and Okavango District Health Management Teams (DHMT) facilities’.

He said the project, which was currently at tender stage and anticipated to start next month, was geared towards removing bats from roof ceilings, cleaning and filling of the bats entry points.

Earlier presenting the ministry’s budget estimates for the 2023/2024 financial year, Mr Lelatisitswe requested Parliament to approve over P10.7 billion, out of which over P10.3 billion the recurrent budget while over P401 million or 3.75 per cent, would fund the development budget.

He said the largest share of the proposed budget, which was over P336.9 million or 83.97 per cent would be allocated to the Department of Health Services Management (DHSM) to implement infrastructure projects under two programmes, which included hospital services and primary healthcare services. Ends