Africa-Press – Botswana. Hospital advisory committees have been hailed as a proper system for creating public interaction to improve relationship between the hospital and the community to better understand the challenges of the hospital and those of the community.
After election and launch of Sekgoma Memorial Hospital Advisory Committee in Serowe on Thursday, the Human Resources Manager of Sekgoma Hospital, Ms Oteng Seleke, told the newly elected committee that they should be functional as the link between community leadership and hospitals. The committee comprises Kgosi Kgalemang Kutuso (chairperson), Mr Edwin Shampee (deputy chairperson), Mr Bonang Mafokate (secretary), Ms Masego Mpebe (deputy secretary), and Ms Ludo Mazongo (treasurer).
Ms Seleke indicated that the provision of quality and safe healthcare service was a major challenge faced by both the public and private health sector. She said the most critical point in health services was making sure that expectations and health needs of the patients and the community were met. The committee members conducted a tour of the hospital led by Dr Onnetse Oduetse, acting hospital superintendent, who told them about the background of the hospital.
Dr Oduetse said Sekgoma Memorial Hospital was opened in 2007 with a bed capacity of 350. She said the three operating theatres at the hospital required a lot of maintenance because of leaking roofs during the rainy season and drainage blockage. However, she said due to shortage of funds, maintenance work could not be done. She added that the psychiatry ward was dilapidated and its condition could result in risk to patients, while some could easily abscond from the ward.
She stated that the hospital had shortage of staff across all cadres, including nurses and doctors. Dr Oduetse indicated that there was no hot water for patients and staff. She decried a very old kitchen which was not functioning, and non-functioning toilets.
She stated that out of three boilers, only one was functioning. She said the call house for doctors was burnt down and now the doctors stay away from the hospital. She said the committee should know the operations of the hospital and be in a better position to inform members of the community about the challenges it faced.
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