Africa-Press – Botswana. Despite the ongoing emergency call crisis, most hospitals across the country continue to function, with the exception of Palapye and Kasane where a shortage of doctors responding to emergency duties has caused concern.
Addressing a press briefing, Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise said government remained committed to ensuring every Motswana received quality healthcare, regardless of location.
While many doctors have continued performing their duties as rostered, he said a number have opted out of extra emergency calls, particularly in key referral hospitals and a few districts.
“In Palapye, five medical officers have informed the Chief Medical Officer that they will not be doing extra calls.
In Kasane, he mentioned that six out of nine had taken the same stance.
“This has placed strain on the remaining few,” Dr Modise said.”
He said the matter emerged from a long-standing dispute between government and the Botswana Doctors Union over emergency call conditions and allowances.
While doctors insisted they were not on strike, some were limiting their emergency calls to once a month, a decision the minister described as harmful to patients and contrary to their conditions of service and a court order.
Minister Modise assured the public that contingency plans were in place, with hospital teams being reshuffled to cover critical services. He thanked the majority of doctors who have continued to respond to emergency duties and acknowledged private sector doctors who have volunteered their services.
“We will engage doctors through the proper platforms and work towards resolving this impasse,” the minister said.
The Ministry’s deputy manager employee relations, Mr Thapelo Koketso added further clarity, noting that although an agreement was reached in April 2023 to pay emergency call allowances effective from 2022, the full implementation was scheduled for May 2024.
Also, he said this implementation hinged on the submission of finalised emergency call policies, contracts and schedules expected by July 2023.
However, he said delays and disagreements over the adequacy of a proposed 15 per cent allowance led to a stalemate.
“The government’s position has always been to take this matter to the negotiating table,” he said, adding that negotiations on allowances were held again in December 2024 and March–April 2025.
He emphasised that negotiations were formally held only once per year, which limited the pace of resolution on salary-related issues.
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