MPs demand action on drug, staffing shortages in clinics
Pini Bothoko | Wednesday July 30, 2025 06:00
The legislators made their concerns known during a parliamentary session, responding to a ministerial statement presented by the Minister of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, Ketlhalefile Motshegwa.
They warned that the persistent drug shortages in clinics and hospitals continue to claim lives and cast doubt on the government’s earlier promise of delivering quality public healthcare.
“There is no point in promising accessible healthcare if patients cannot get life-saving medication at clinics. People don’t choose when to fall sick. Lives are being lost because some clinics don’t operate at night,” said the MP for Bobirwa, Taolo Lucas, attributing the problem to unfilled nursing vacancies despite the availability of trained but unemployed nurses. Several MPs proposed that the ministry should establish its procurement budget for medicines rather than depending on the Central Medical Stores (CMS), which they described as overwhelmed and ineffective, especially in delivering drugs to remote areas.
“The ministry must be empowered to procure its supplies. CMS has failed us, particularly in rural communities,” argued Maun East MP, Goretetse Kekgonegile.
Parliamentarians, however, welcomed the move to return primary health care services to the Ministry of Local Government, noting that historically, primary health services performed better under its administration. They said the public had long called for the shift, citing a decline in service delivery when PHC was under the Ministry of Health.
Still, MPs stressed that the transition must come with decisive action on longstanding challenges, among them the shortage of medication and healthcare staff.
They highlighted the dire situation in several clinics, where a lack of personnel has forced some facilities to operate only during the day, leaving patients vulnerable during nights and weekends.
The legislators also raised concerns over the uneven distribution of health resources, pointing out that rural villages continue to be sidelined compared to towns and cities.
“There is an uneven distribution of resources like health manpower, medication, and transport. Villages are suffering,” said Molepolole South MP, Shima Monageng.
Another issue that was mentioned was a lack of security in some clinics, which MPs said discourages nurses from providing night services. They called on the ministry to consider hiring security personnel to allow clinics to operate 24/7 and called for some health posts to be upgraded to clinic status.
Further, MPs called for the re-engagement of Home-Based Care (HBC) workers and Family Welfare Educators, who they say played a critical role in the country’s fight against HIV/AIDS. They noted that such personnel were instrumental in community health support, even conducting home visits to ensure patients adhered to treatment.
“These two groups helped us win the HIV/AIDS battle. We need to bring them back and empower them to support the healthcare system,” said Lucas.
Responding to their concerns, Motshegwa promised quality public healthcare, stating that the relocation formed part of the government’s broader commitment to decentralisation of service delivery and realignment of sectoral functions to strengthen community-level governance and bring services closer to the people.
Motshegwa welcomed MPs’ advice, stating that the primary obstacle to delivering quality healthcare and saving lives is a shortage of funds, as the government continues efforts to revive the country’s economy.