13 Jun 2023

Manxotae residents have requested government to upgrade the village health post to a clinic.

They told the Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, during a recent kgotla meeting that the health post was first opened in 1988, so the structure was too small.

Village Development Committee chairperson, Mr Galethata Zibane, said the village population had outgrown the health post, noting that during the  height of COVID-19, the facility proved too small for bigger numbers.

Furthermore, he said they used to have two nurses, but since one was transferred there had not been any replacement.

He nonetheless pointed out that despite the challenges experienced during that time, Manxotai recorded the highest number of people who were vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Tutume area.

In response, Mr Lelatisitswe said under the two-year Transitional National Development Plan, Tutume district would be provided with a 72-bed primary hospital.

He said any other health projects would be catered for under the National Development Plan 12, which would commence after 2025.

Mr Lelatisitswe said the projects would include construction of level one hospital in Nata and upgrading of health posts in Maposa and Manxotae.

He promised that an additional nurse would be posted to Manxotae, but he explained that the recent information he received was that there was no accommodation and the house she was to occupy needed full maintenance.

The assistant minister thus challenged residents to arrange accommodation for the new nurse and also implored them to build houses for rental purposes. ENDS