28 Aug 2023

Julia Molefe Clinic in Gaborone continues to experience high numbers of outpatients who visit the facility for different services, the clinic’s acting medical officer, Dr Batisani Mathumo has said.

Dr Mathumo was speaking during the World Health Organization (WHO) Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus’s visit to the clinic on Sunday.

He said in a day, the facility received about 200 patients for different health services, and this had increased their volume of work.

As a result, he said, patients waited long hours before they could be assisted.

He said although the facility was to serve people from nearby areas, they also received some patients from as far as from Mogoditshane and Metsimotlhabe among other areas.

“We continue to experience high numbers of outpatients. Sometimes we halt the queue to assists those who come in dire need of emergency treatments  and referrals, and we do not do that on a first come basis, hence the long waiting period by patients before they get assisted,” he said.

Despite it all, Dr Mathumo said, health care workers stationed at Julia Molefe clinic remained committed to providing quality service to all patients who visited the facility.

He said the other challenge was that of diarrhoea in minors, stating however that public health education effort to sensitise the public was making a difference.

For his part, deputy permanent secretary for health services management at the Ministry of Health, Dr Tshepiso Machacha said it was a norm for the WHO Director General to tour any 24 hour clinic as part of his activities during the WHO regional committee meeting hence his visit to Julia Molefe clinic.

Dr Ghebreyesus’ visit was to appreciate a set-up of a 24 hour clinic, tour different units within the clinic, learn about the services offered as well as challenges faced in regards to offering health services to patients.

Dr Ghebreyesus is in the country for the five-day regional committee meeting that started yesterday.

The meeting has attracted 47 ministers of health across the African region. ENDS