Africa-Press – Botswana. Bomaid, a medical aid entity, is set to introduce a virtual health service to cater for people in remote areas, including the Okavango Delta, where access to healthcare is limited due to distance and lack of GPS connectivity.
Addressing members and stakeholders during the 54th annual general meeting in Gaborone recently, the Bomaid chief executive officer, Mr Moraki Mokgosana explained that the service would enable clients to consult with a healthcare practitioner virtually.
Mr Mokgosana also revealed that they had plans to launch a wellness application, through which they would engage with stakeholders. He welcomed the developments surrounding the National Health Insurance (NHI), noting that Bomaid has had initial discussions with government.
“We believe that Bomaid’s administrative capabilities could be leveraged to support some of the government’s goals for NHI, as continue to actively position ourselves to play a role in its implementation,” he said.
He indicated that the traditional form of medical aid was evolving and losing relevance, as younger generations were increasingly drawn to health insurance for protection against specific risks.
“They are not necessarily looking for the whole package as far as medical aid is concerned. So we have set up an entity that will allow us to pivot into that opportunity when it becomes available and that is what we call South View Insurance,” he explained.
He further said through their strategic investment, they aimed to slow down cost escalation, particularly with MRI, which handled many services within the Bomaid value chain, including the call centre, emergency medical services, Prime Health Capri Medical, pharmaceutical distribution and training.
Bomadi board chairperson, Dr Refeletswe Lebelonyane, highlighted that in 2024, the customer satisfaction index increased to 71 per cent. Dr Lebelonyane also reported a significant uptake in screenings, with over 40 000 conducted, representing a 47 per cent increase.
“We are excited that the screening uptake is high, but this does not mean anything at the end of the day if you are not going to do anything about the results. So, it is important for us to screen, identify those who are outside the normal range, lead them to care and make sure that they are on treatment and receiving the care they are supposed to,” she said.
She also shared that the MRI investment was a major milestone, with BOMAID’s stake in MRI reduced from 95 to 38 per cent.
“This makes Bomaid a minor shareholder, allowing MRI to operate more competitively while addressing regulatory concerns” she said.
She added that in 2024, Bomaid recorded a surplus of over P34 million, which improved their solvency ratio from 34 to 36 per cent, well above the 25 per cent regulatory requirement.
“So, your fund is not broke. We are not broke and we are far from it. I know that in 2024 there was a lot of talk on the street that Bomaid was broke, because we were strengthening our processes and dealing with fraud. We had to make sure that people were not becoming millionaires overnight because of the money that you have entrusted us with,” she said.
Meanwhile, by embracing technology and new business models, Bomaid aims to continue providing essential services while expanding its reach and preparing for a future that includes a National Health Insurance.
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