- – availability of vital medicines stands at 62.4% and essential medicines at 46.6%
Persistent shortages of medicines and laboratory supplies continue to cripple healthcare services in the North West District, raising serious concerns over patients’ access to treatment despite recent government assurances of supply improvements.
Addressing the North West District Council Full Council meeting, Council Chairperson Itumeleng Kelebetseng said shortages of drugs, non-drug commodities, and laboratory supplies remain among the biggest challenges facing the district’s health sector.
According to Kelebetseng, the availability of vital medicines currently stands at 62.4 percent, while essential medicines are available at 46.6 percent. Necessary medicines have the lowest availability rate at a critical 31.3 percent.
He further revealed that the Central Medical Stores is currently able to fill only 11 percent of orders placed by local health facilities, a situation that continues to put immense pressure on hospitals and clinics across the district.
The shortage of medicines has severely affected the ability of health facilities to provide uninterrupted treatment, forcing some centers to seek alternatives or refer patients elsewhere. Laboratory services have also been disrupted due to an acute shortage of reagents used for testing and diagnosis.
Kelebetseng said the district had relied on temporary support from Diagnofirm Laboratories up to June 2 to ensure continuity of these diagnostic services.
Despite these challenges, he noted that Letsholathebe II Memorial Hospital has made progress in improving access to specialist healthcare.
The arrival of a general surgeon and a neurosurgeon in June has strengthened the hospital’s internal capacity, reducing the need to refer patients to tertiary hospitals outside Maun. The hospital has also recruited a psychiatrist and senior administrative officers to improve service delivery.
Meanwhile, Kelebetseng acknowledged the vital support received from development partners and private companies. O’Green Company and the AGA ISAGO Foundation donated blood pressure machines, glucose monitors, and other medical supplies to support hard-hit facilities in the district.
In addition, MMG Khoemacau donated medical consumables valued at more than USD 10,400 to Toteng Clinic, with the supplies expected to benefit other health facilities across the district.
While the donations are expected to ease immediate pressure on health facilities, Kelebetseng said long-term solutions are needed to address systemic medicine shortages. He stressed that a consistent supply of medicines and laboratory materials remains critical to improving patient care and ensuring communities have access to quality healthcare.
