Assistant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe, has confirmed that the long awaited construction of Gumare hospital is commencing soon in Seronga Gumare. The hospital planned since over two years will be developed by using the Second Transitional National Development Plan –development manager model.
In the Kgotla meeting addressed by president Mokgweetsi Masisi, said that the development manager (DM) model for managing the project which was launched in 2017 for the purpose of expedited completion of projects will be used.
He responded to the worries voiced by the Seronga VDC chairperson; saying that the Seronga clinic would be upgraded with a maternity ward of two beds and six more beds for inpatient care.
An American Embassy would provide the support necessary for carrying out the upgrading project in the clinic. The ministry has already chosen a site in Seronga where they would like the clinic built.
Work is in progress with regards to the designing of clinic layouts, while estimating all the relevant expenditures involved. Once this is over, he noted that the construction of the clinic will start.
Construction cost Estimate for the Gumare Hospital
president Mokgweetsi Masisi revealed that government has allocated P120m for the proposed hospital which was a realisation of government’s commitments towards dealing with health problems in Okavango district.
In answering another question, Mr Lelatisitswe noted that Beetsha was a small village and therefore had an occasional doctor who visited and offered treatment when necessary. The assistant minister observed that, “because of staff, it is impractical for the ministry to have a doctor in every village in the country.”
The Seronga VIC chairperson Mr Maeze noted concerns over an old small clinic which is not properly equipped to address issues in a village.
Mr Maeze also informed the meeting that the junior school has many problems such as lack of rooms for the teachers’ houses.
This was echoed by the chairman of the Ebechsa VDC, Keapoletswe Moyenga, who pleaded for a permanent doctor in the clinic of Beetsha. Moreover, he stressed on the lack of sufficient classrooms and staff houses at Betcha Primary School.
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