Africa-Press – Botswana. Ministry of Health in partnership with the American Embassy have embarked on construction of maternity wing at Seronga clinic to promote accessibility to health care services.
In response to a question asked by the Okavango East MP, Mr Gabatsholwe Disho in Parliament on July 9, the minister, Dr Stephen Modise said the maternity wing, once complete, would also improve the working space.
The minister said currently patients from Seronga were referred to JP Kavindama Primary Hospital in Shakawe, covering a distance of 173km from the furthest village being Gudigwa.
On other issues, Dr Modise said the ministry was aware of dysfunctional status of medical equipment’s and fleet at Gumare Primary Hospital.
These he said included dysfunctional x-ray machine, which had forced the hospital to resort using a mobile-x-ray for patients who needed urgent x-rays.
The minister explained that for the main x-ray, the ministry was in collaboration with a contractor to repair the machine as they were awaiting the supply of mechanical parts from China.
He added that they had been informed that the ordered parts had arrived and still undergoing clearance processes by Botswana Unified Revenue Services.
As for the fleet, he said Gumare Primary Hospital had 70 per cent of its fleet status operational, while 30 per cent was down due to routine maintenance and depleted funds.
He assured Parliament that the ministry was working around the clock to source funds for maintenance of the vehicles.
Dr Modise said construction of Kauxwi clinic, planned to have been completed by January 2024 was still ongoing and at 95 per cent, attributing delays to poor project management by the contractor.
Minister Modise further decried that during October 2024, the ministry suffered a setback as payments and approvals were delayed due to financial challenges.
He said the ministry was working around the clock to source funds to ensure that the project was completed by October.
On other pending developments, Dr Modise said the Ngarange clinic project was currently at 80 per cent and had also been stalled since October 2022 due to contractual dispute and the matter was still before the arbitrator.
He assured the house that once the matter had been settled, the project would kick-start.
In addition, he said there was no plan to upgrade Xakao clinic in the current development plan owing to budget constraints but would rather be proposed for upgrading in future, provided funds permitted.
Mr Disho had asked the minister to appraise the house on the completion of Kauxwi and Ngarange clinics and when they two would be opened to the public.
He also asked when Xakao clinic would be upgraded as it was the main clinic servicing several villages in the Okavango East Constituency.
Furthermore, Mr Disho asked if there were plans to build a hospital in Seronga, as it would serve more than 16 000 people in eight villages from Mogotho to Gudigwa.
Moreover, he asked the minister if he was aware that all the health facilities in the constituency were resource challenged and if there are any interventions to arrest the situation.
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