This was said by Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise, when responding to a parliamentary question on Tuesday. 

Minister Modise also told Parliament that there were six doctors at Local Government, making a total of 40 doctors in Serowe. 

The minister added that Sekgoma Memorial Hospital offered health services to a population of about 60 000 people, thus the doctor to patient ratio at the hospital was 1:3000 while the nurse-to-patient ratio was 1:2000. 

He also indicated that Sekgoma Memorial Hospital offered specialist services which included ophthalmology, obstetrics and gynaecology, general paediatrics, medical oncology, dermatology, general surgery, anaesthesia and psychiatry.

 “The ministry is currently undertaking external recruitment of specialists, with an anticipated eight more specialists planned for deployment to Sekgoma Memorial Hospital, increasing the total number of specialists 21,” Dr Modise said. 

He also told Parliament that compared to other district hospitals in terms of doctor to patient ratio, Sekgoma Memorial Hospital served a catchment population of 60 000 with 21 doctors, resulting in a ratio of 1:3000 while Mahalapye Hospital had 14 doctors for a population of 131 977 (1:9000) and Selebi Phikwe Hospital utilised 13 doctors for 50 000 people (1:4000) while Letsholathebe Hospital maintained 14 doctors for a population of 121 300, matching Mahalapye’s ratio of 1:9000. 

In terms of nursing staff, he said Sekgoma hospital employed 280 nurses for its 60 000 residents, providing a ratio of 1:200 while Mahalapye Hospital operated with 221 nurses for 131 977 people (1:600) and Letsholathebe Hospital had 189 nurses for a population of 121 300 (1:600). 

He added that Selebi Phikwe Hospital served 50 000 people with 153 nurses, resulting in a ratio of 1:300.

 “To address overcrowding in the hospital, diabetes, hypertension and general outpatient clinics were opened at the old Sekgoma Hospital. 

Only referred patients and emergency cases are seen at the hospital while the rest are encouraged to seek help at local clinics to reduce overcrowding,” the minister said. In addition to the recruitment of specialists, he said the ministry had also engaged with Directorate of Public Service Management (DPSM) to create positions for employment of additional staff to reduce shortages and ease the burden on overwhelmed staff at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital.

 Dr Modise further indicated that ophthalmology services were already offered at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital. 

“The availability of specialist services is subject to the availability of the required specialised personnel in the country.

 There is shortage of specialists in the country and the ministry is currently engaged in recruitment efforts of medical specialists both locally and externally,” he added. 

Furthermore, he said in addition, there were several government-sponsored doctors who were undergoing specialist training, adding that once specialists were available, they would be deployed to the public facilities where their services were required.

 In the meantime, he said, patients requiring cardiac, nephrology or orthopaedic services were referred to the nearest facility where those services were available. 

Serowe South MP, Mr Leapetswe Lesedi had asked the minister for the total number of doctors in all Serowe public facilities, the patient-to-doctor ratios and a list of available specialist services.

 The legislator also inquired whether services such as cardiac care, nephrology, including dialysis and orthopaedics, would be introduced to accommodate the hospital’s large catchment population. ENDS