Minister Makgato ups quality of public hospitals
Staff Writer | Monday March 2, 2015 16:59
The Minister told Parliament last week that Mahalapye and Scottish Livingstone hospitals have been able to maintain a pre-accreditation recognition Entry Level while Airstrip, Xhosa, Phuthadikobo and Nkoyaphiri clinics have maintained a Progress Level. “We are looking forward to an external survey for full accreditation to be conducted at these six facilities in 2015/2016.’’
She said the remaining facilities namely Sekgoma Memorial, Letsholathebe II Memorial, Nyangabgwe, Princess Marina, S’brana Psychiatric, Athlone, Deborah Retief and Selibe Phikwe Hospitals, Julia Molefhe and Extension 2 clinics are being continuously assisted to move towards achievement of accreditation status. Minister Makgatho says her Ministry has also launched, disseminated and commenced the implementation of five National Health Quality Standards for hospitals, clinics, mortuaries, environmental health and emergency medical services at both public and private health facilities to improve the quality and safety of health services.
Concerning maintenance of public health facilities, Minister Makgatho said a lot of progress was made in making major hospitals of Princess Marina, Nyangabgwe, S’brana, Scottish, Mahalapye, Sekgoma and Letsholathebe II Memorial fit for purpose. These seven (7) major hospitals were upgraded and refurbished for services that include: electrical, mechanical, fire detection, steam and chilled water, with most of the projects completed and contracts for their continued maintenance established, she said. The Minister added that a number of remaining district and primary hospitals had their installations refurbished during the 2014/15 financial year. These included Deborah Retief Memorial, Mmadinare, Gweta, Ghanzi, Goodhope and Gumare. Further refurbishments,upgrading will be undertaken in most of the hospitals and clinics in the 2015/2016 financial year.
Minister Makgatho further added that her Ministry has a call centre through which calls can be made to report faults that require maintenance at the public health facilities.
As of December 2014, the Minister said, Ten Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eighty One (10,881) calls were logged with the call centre on various maintenance related issues and Six Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty Three (6,133) of these have been attended to, translating to 56.4% completion rate.