the monitor

Anesthetists' shortage worries minister

Sethomo Lelatisitswe
Sethomo Lelatisitswe

The Assistant Minister of Health Sethomo Lelatisitswe has admitted that there is currently a critical shortage of anesthetists and high care specialists/intensivists in the country as most of them leave for private practice and greener pastures.

Sethomo said as such, the Selebi-Phikwe General Hospital currently refer patients requiring such specialist services to Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital where there is one specialist anesthetist and one intensivist.

This came about after the MP for the Selebi-Phikwe West constituency Dithapelo Keorapetse asked the minister to state the number of nurses in Selebi-Phikwe Hospital and clinics and those who are specialised; and what government is doing to address the shortage of anaesthetists, theatre/ high care specialists, midwives, eye nurses and other specialists nurses in Selebi-Phikwe.

Editor's Comment
Gov’t needs to give health care urgency it requires

The Member of Parliament is warning that patients suffering from chronic conditions continue to face potentially life-threatening interruptions to their treatment because of unreliable access to medicines.Amid the shortages, many Batswana have been left with no choice but to look for other treatment alternatives such as herbs, with many not having had been scientifically tested for effectiveness.Medications for hypertension, diabetes, heart...

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