BRC rescues health centres as volunteers provide service

MARANYANE NGWANAAMOTHO
Staff Writer | Thursday April 21, 2011 00:00

Fifi Batsalelwang,  BRC marketing and communication manager revealed  yesterday that they have started providing essential services to clinics and hospitals after realising that the day-to-day functions of some facilities have been affected by the strike.

'We have therefore resolved to engage our volunteers in providing general duties at clinics and hospitals where the most vulnerable population is. These volunteers are members of BRC,' she said. She said that so far they have 520 volunteers that will cover Gaborone and surrounding villages like Moshupa, Gabane, Mochudi and others.

She explained that they will be helping with sweeping and cleaning of hallways, bathrooms, toilets and making beds for patients. They will also be feeding and weighing patients, registration of vital signs, taking care of the laundry and doing any other duties as assigned by the matron or officer in-charge.

Batsalelwang said that this should not be taken as replacement of labour, as it is their mandate to assist those in vulnerable positions at all times. 'We are not taking any sides here. We saw a need to help and we are going to do that.

Even at the strike we do go there to help those who need help. We give first aid to those who need it,' she said.

She said that the Red Cross Act of 1968 implores BRC to be a 'humanitarian aid organisation auxiliary to government, mandated to alleviate human suffering through provision of services to the most vulnerable.'

She said that as a 'humanitarian organisation governed by the principles of neutrality and independence, it is imperative that they carry out the mandate of reducing human suffering during this time.' Batsalelwang would not comment on the effects of the strike on the health system saying that they are not in a position to say whether it is bad or not since they do not have anything to weigh the impacts with.

'We cannot say what the impact has been so far. You would need an expert for that. As for us we went to hospitals and clinics and we saw the need to provide services that are not linked to medical services and we are going to do that,' she said.