Makgato decries shortage of medical staff
Pini Bothoko | Friday February 3, 2017 16:07
Makgato was answering a question from Specially Elected Kgosi Isaac Titus at Ntlo Ya Dikgosi, who had wanted to know when the Ministry would consider posting a midwife nurse as well as constructing a staff house at Struizendam to improve service delivery. The Minister said shortage of medical staff and staff accommodation remain the Ministry’s concern. In the past it was reported that the patient to nurse ratio was as high as 30:1 instead of the internationally accepted standard of 10:1 something that might result in deaths due to limited patient care. She said the shortage of doctors and nurses in Botswana’s medical institutions is exacerbated by a number of factors, among them deplorable working conditions and uncompetitive salaries.
Makgato told Ntlo ya Dikgosi that they do not have plans of posting a midwife to Struizendam on a permanent basis due to shortage of this cadre countrywide. She, however, said weekly visits by a midwife from Bokspits clinic are conducted to the health post to provide midwifery services which on average attend to between six and seven ante -natal clients and one to 23 post-natal clients.
According to 2011 census, Struizendam has a population of 519 residents and as such it only qualifies for a health post. The nearest midwife from Bokspits, located 55 km on a gravel road, currently services the village. Makgato said the facility has not recorded any maternal or neonatal death for many years. She said that her Ministry is aware of the shortage of accommodation in Struizendam, but there are no plans to construct staff houses there due to budgetary constraints.
She, however, said it would be considered together with other deserving health facilities in future when funds are available. After being sponsored by Government to study medicine abroad, many Batswana opt to stay there and seek better paying employment in first world countries. Majority of nurses have also deserted employment in Botswana and trekked to Europe, especially the United Kingdom, where the pay is much better.
Private hospitals and clinic were also reported to be poaching a number of doctors and nurses from Government health institutions. Makgato, however, said that they have been recruiting doctors and other medical personnel from China, Namibia, Cuba to mention but a few in responding to the crisis.
Interviewed on the sidelines of the meeting, Makgato said the long running standoff between nurses and government, over the scarce skills allowance has immensely contributed to the mass resignation of nurses and doctors from the public service.
She said government introduced scarce skills allowances for doctors, dentists, pharmacists, physiotherapists, laboratory technicians and radiographers hence hopeful that this will in the near future address the situation.
“Due to post basic allowance more young Batswana are now interested in studying midwifery. The first batch of students will soon graduate hence giving us hope to address the crisis,” Makgato said.
Meanwhile, Makgato revealed that Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital’s environment is not conducive for residential rehabilitation of people battling drug and alcohol addiction. She said the hospital was built as an acute mental health unit, but because it is the only psychiatric hospital in the country, it currently serves as a referral centre for acute and other cases which require intensive treatment for the whole country. Makgato, however, said they are considering the conversion of one of the old hospitals into a rehabilitation centre for people battling drugs and alcohol addiction rather than building a new one.