Africa-Press – Botswana. As the National Assembly debates over the Medical Aid Funds Bill of 2025, Member of Parliament for Kanye East, Prince Mosanana has mulled the inclusion of traditional doctors or medicine in medical aids.
With the winter session of the assembly categorised by consideration of bills and committee of reports, Parliament yesterday turned its attention to the Medical Aid Funds Bill.
The bill is an act aimed to provide for the regulation and administration of medical aid funds.
This includes medical aid fund administrators, medical aid fund brokers, and managed care organisations operating in Botswana for the purpose of ensuring protection of members’ medical aid funds and enhancing their financial soundness. And for purposes of incidental thereto and connected therewith.
Legislator Mosanana highlighted that the bill that has been brought forward is a welcome development that can aid in combating challenges that customers encounter regarding medical aids.
“This is really a great bill because in the past some things were not done right with these insurance companies not operating legally,” Mosanana said.
Mosanana further said he hopes the new bill would be able to address customers’ outcry on their eligibility to claim for services, as they have to wait for a certain period.
“One will be paying every month for their medical aid but when we seek their services they tell us we can only claim after two years and that is worrisome. It has now become a thing and that needs to be addressed,” Mosanana stressed.
In an unfamiliar twist, Mosanana who is rallying behind the bill further stated that it is high time issues around traditional medicine or practices are put to rest and be adopted.
“We have this issue on our hands of traditional medicine. I am not against it but we need to look into it because I don’t know if a traditional doctor can take medical aid,” Mosanana said.
“If they can take medical aid their prices can be regulated because their prices always fluctuate, they are not constant,” he said.
He, however, stressed that inclusion of traditional medicine might have the bad side to it which will impede productivity.
“We should also look at the dangerous side of it because some people will go to the traditional doctor and not go to work but they do not have sick leave. Will you dispute that?” he asked.
Nonetheless, Mosanana said he is in full support of the Medical Aid Funds Bill.
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