Manpower crisis hampers health services delivery

This came to light when the Parliamentary Health Committee and the Special Select Committee on HIV/AIDS toured health facilities yesterday.

A senior nurse at Tapologong Clinic, Ditsame Kebalepile said the facility, which is the biggest clinic in Selebi-Phikwe, operates with six nurses and one doctor. She said the maternity wing has eight nurses who work on shifts. Kebalepile mentioned that most of the equipment they use is too old. She noted that nurses are also forced to do other duties due to lack of qualified manpower. The MPs were also informed that close to seven nurses resigned between June and August while others went on early retirement after primary health services were recently taken over by the Ministry of Health.