UDC’s proposed scheme capitalises on beleaguered healthcare
Mompati Tlhankane | Tuesday July 25, 2023 06:00
According to UDC president Duma Boko, if they manage to wrestle power from the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in 2024, they will come up with a unique and robust intervention on health.
“We will introduce a national health insurance scheme under which every citizen will have medical aid part contributory for all those in gainful employment and fully covered by the state in the case of others in a manner that is equitable and effective,” he recently revealed.
Boko indicated that this will guarantee not only access to quality healthcare but will spur and sustain the development of healthcare infrastructure. He added even private practitioners will be secure in the guarantee of cover for their services under the National Health Insurance Scheme.
Boko said as the UDC they will build stronger, healthier communities through advancements in public health. “The healthcare system in this country is dysfunctional in every respect. The quality of treatment in public health facilities is poor. Public health facilities, like all other government facilities, specialise in the provision of generalised low-quality service.
There are acute shortages of medicines, including the most rudimentary medical provisions,” he added. Boko said already the health personnel is overwhelmed and abused.
He added that the raging controversy and stand-off between nurses and the Ministry of Health regarding the unlawful orders that nurses dispense medicines to patients is a lurid illustration of the systemic failure and incompetence of the Health ministry. “What is also not in any doubt is that the whole apparatus of the state is dysfunctional and has failed to provide healthcare and other amenities to the people of this country,” he further pointed out. “To all the trenchant problems facing the health sector and indeed the whole country, this regime has no answers.
It offers only fudges and evasions and only keeps spinning out melodramatic tales of imagined success. Our people continue to suffer and lives continue to be lost.” “The country has a total of 715 doctors.
This works out to four doctors per 10,000 population. There are 4,753 nurses and midwives, translating into 26 nurses per 10,000 population. There are 333 pharmacists, working out to 2 for every 10,000.” The UDC says the scheme will help mostly people who are unemployed or have low-paying jobs to improve access to affordable health coverage for everyone.