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11 Apr 2023

 Kanye hospital is earmarked for upgrading during the Transitional National Development Plan (TNDP) of 2023/24 and 2024/25 financial years.

Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe said this in response to a parliamentary question from the MP for Kanye North, Mr Thapelo Letsholo recently.

He said a plot had been allocated for the project, which was still at pre-planning stage, including confirmation of pre-contract activities such as confirmation of site, its suitability and availability of services, access roads as well the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) among others.

Mr Lelatisitswe further said in an effort to respond to the growing population needs of underserviced catchment areas, the Ministry of Health had plans to upgrade all health posts to clinics nationally.

His ministry, he said, was aware that most of the health posts were too small for the number of patients serviced due to the growing population of villages across the country.

He however explained that the upgrading of health posts to clinics would be implemented in a phased approach due to budgetary constraints.

Mr Lelatisitswe stated that his ministry had not received complaints regarding patients of Kgomokasitwa being sent back from Lobatse’s Athlone Hospital.

He however clarified that access to health services by patients throughout the country was not designated by where one came from.

The ministry, he said, was aware that Athlone Hospital was one of the referral centres for Kgomokasitwa Clinic after Kanye. 

However, he added that the ministry through Southern DHMT would engage further with the community and the management at Athlone Hospital to clarify the issue.

Mr Letsholo had asked the minister to clearly articulate the delivery of medical healthcare to residents of Kgomokasitwa.

Mr Letsholo also wanted to know if the minister was aware that the local clinic was too small for the number of patients it serviced and what was the plan to remedy the scenario.

In addition, he wanted to know if the minister was aware that some patients from Kgomokasitwa were sent back from Athlone Hospital to go and get medical attention in Kanye, yet Athlone was the closest.

MP Letsholo also enquired as to when a suitable and adequately resourced hospital would be built in Kanye for the resident of Kanye and the rest of the district. ENDS