Bokamoso retrenches staff

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO &
GREG KELEBONYE
Staff Writers | Wednesday September 22, 2010 00:00

 

About 250 employees are said to have received retrenchment letters, while some specialist opted to resign.  Retrenchment, according to Ebineng is the only way for the hospital to avoid closure due to high costs that the hospital incurs every month. The hospital has been running losses amounting to several millions and needs at least P250 million to operate normally, including halting the retrenchment of staff.

The shortfall, according to Ebineng is mainly due to failure by government to refer patients to the hospital, choosing instead to refer to South Africa, even though the hospital is well equipped and has specialists for conditions being referred to South Africa. Unless government changed its attitude, the hospital may eventually close, he was quoted by this publication.

However following parallel stories in the Mmegi and the Guardian newspapers about the situation at the hospital and that the hospital may eventually close unless it received financial redemption, Ebineng and Corporate Services Director at the Hospital Oscar Gaboutloeloe went on national television and also sent out a press release denying the correctness of the stories.

'Management hereby assures the public that there are no plans to close down the hospital.  Furthermore, all services continue to be available.  The public is assured that the hospital continues to function at the highest levels of professionalism, care and competence,' said the release.

However the release did not say anything about the fact that the hospital faces a financial crisis. Then, last Friday deputy Health Minister Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri explained at a press conference that Ebineng had been instructed to relay the message by the board.

'Bokamoso hospital is run by a board made up of civil servant. Ebineng was directed by the board to go on air and say what he said,' explained Matlhabaphiri. Other than this little revelation by Matlabaphiri, government, which owns the hospital through two government medical insurances, PULA and BPOMAS has remained mum. Even the minister, John Seakgosing and his Permanent Secretary, Kolaatamo Malefho have declined to field questions sent to them and would not return telephone calls.

It was not possible to contact hospital officials yesterday as they were said to be locked in a meeting.