20 May 2026

The Mayor of Francistown and Councillor for Tshwaragano Ward, Mr Gaone Majere, on May 15 hosted an outreach medical and wellness day for ward residents, bringing together 17 Chinese medical specialists from Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital to provide free screenings for non-communicable diseases and eye conditions. 

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Mr Majere said consultations with residents had revealed a rising burden of non-communicable diseases, including hypertension and high blood pressure. 

“I realised the state of health was deteriorating in the ward,” he said. “So I organised this day for my electorate to get tested for various conditions.” 

To expand the services, Mr Majere also engaged private providers, including Diagnofirm and Francistown Academic Hospital, to offer free screenings and tests. 

Leading the 17th Chinese Medical Team, Dr Minxiong Hu said the outreach reflected the team’s commitment to community health beyond hospital walls. “As Chinese medical doctors, our duty is not only to attend to patients in the hospital, but also to reach out to communities, as evidenced by our outreach services,” he said. 

Nyangabgwe Hospital dietician Ms One Keikepe encouraged residents to adopt healthier lifestyles, advising balanced diets, regular exercise, and reduced salt and oil intake. “Excessive salt and oil are leading contributors to non-communicable diseases,” she said. 

Services offered included laboratory tests, blood pressure checks, and health education sessions to help residents understand their conditions. 

Ms Lindiwe Saolos, a member of the Tshwaragano Ward Development Committee responsible for health, said many residents do not visit health facilities for routine screening, which contributes to lifestyle diseases and obesity. She thanked Mr Majere for bringing services closer to the people. 

Resident Ms Galdys Mochediso, who attended the screening, welcomed the initiative. “The health information we receive is very important to us,” she said. 

The event also marked 45 years of China-Botswana health cooperation. Since the launch of the partnership in 1981, China has dispatched 17 medical teams to Botswana, serving at Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital and Princess Marina Hospital. 

The current 17th China Medical Team alone has provided more than 100,000 consultations and treatments, including over 40,000 outpatient visits and 30,000 inpatient examinations. The team has participated in 3,524 surgical procedures, managed anesthesia in 4,538 cases, conducted more than 14,000 imaging examinations, and provided acupuncture to 3,721 patients. ENDS