OLDM theatre upgrade to boost surgical care in Rakops
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Friday December 19, 2025 14:42
When handing over the refurbished facility to the Ministry of Health, he said it will significantly enhance the hospital's operational capacity, safety, quality of care and consequently support an estimated 34,000 residents the hospital serves.
Maoketsa stated that the project is a fulfilment of the commitment they made last year through the General Manager's charity walk.
Additionally, Maoketsa indicated that they decided to support the Ministry of Health upon learning that the Rakops Primary Hospital theatre had not been operational, thus referring patients to other hospitals that offer theatre services.
'With the understanding that Rakops Primary Hospital remains the only major public health facility serving the Boteti West area, apart from Orapa Mine Hospital, the need to support and strengthen healthcare delivery in the region was identified as a priority,' he continued.
According to Maoketsa, in response to the need, Debswana committed P4.2 million, being the proceeds of the 2024 OLDM General Manager's Annual Charity Walk, to procure an experienced contractor to undertake the refurbishment of Rakops Primary Hospital.
Once a thorough assessment or scoping was done, the cost estimation went to P5.3 million, with P4.7 million allocated for construction works and the remainder of the funds allocated to engage theatre equipment specialists to ensure that all operating theatre upgrades met the required technical and clinical standards, he added.
He mentioned that the theatre was non-functional due to issues of dust ingress, thus non-compliant with theatre standards.
Maoketsa stated that the refurbishment project went beyond just addressing the dust ingress.
'It encompassed comprehensive civil works and facility extensions, reviewing, repositioning, and servicing of the installed air-handling units, commissioning of the serviced autoclave, replacement of the gas panel, and provision of high-tech LED lights in the theatre room to ensure enhanced visibility and energy efficiency,' he added.
Furthermore, he shared that the project included the upgrade of the water purification and desalination plant and complete resurfacing of the 'bacteria-eating' flooring to meet current infection prevention and control standards.
He indicated that they also sponsored the theatre staff to the tune of P97,000 to undergo refresher training in an effort to ensure the facility remains functional after the handover.
Debswana Chief Executive Officer Andrew Motsomi stated that Debswana continues to play a pivotal role in transforming healthcare in the country through initiatives like the one that has brought them here, as well as through their hospitals. He stated that their hospitals, Orapa and Jwaneng, remain the lifeline of their communities, as their impact reaches far-flung settlements, providing essential medical services.
'As part of our continued efforts to make life brilliant, we have affirmed our commitment to the enhancement of healthcare through a Memorandum of Understanding between ourselves and the Ministry of Health, which has snowballed into a programme titled Botsogo Teemane,' he added.
Motsomi explained that this partnership is intended to strengthen collaboration in improving health systems through the following five intervention areas: maternal mortality, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases, malnutrition and universal health coverage.
He also said that it is ‘common cause’ that the ongoing financial challenges have overburdened government and, in the process, hamstrung the provision of good healthcare services. It is only through partnerships such as this one that public-private partnerships can alleviate the burden from government as a sole provider, he added.
Motsomi indicated that they also face a difficult trading environment exacerbated by, amongst other things, geopolitics and other market dynamics that erode their profitability. Therefore, he stated that initiatives such as the Orapa GM's Walk help to augment where the business may fall short. He also commended all those who have partnered to make projects such as these feasible.