24 Nov 2024

 Ministry of Health is committed to making Botswana’s healthcare system smarter, more efficient, and patient-centered, acting secretary for Specialised Health Care Services in the health ministry, Dr Rex Segadimo has said.

Dr Segadimo, who was speaking on behalf of assistant minister of health during the first joint scientific conference between pharmaceutical society of Botswana and the medical practitioners group of Botswana in Gaborone on Thursday, said they would work to address workforce gaps, aggressively investing in training, recruitment, and retention of healthcare professionals, with a special focus on expanding the pool of specialists.

“This will include partnerships with institutions both locally and internationally.”

Dr Segadimo further said government would prioritise strategies towards reforming Central Medical Stores (CMS) to operate more efficiently.

He said they were also prioritising local pharmaceutical manufacturing, so that the country eventually became self-sufficient in the production of medicines.

“Through the National Health Policy and the National Medicines Policy our rural areas and underserved populations will no longer be an afterthought,” Dr Segadimo said.

He said the ministry would modernise healthcare delivery from digitising health records to adopting telemedicine and advanced diagnostic tools.

Meanwhile, Dr Segadimo said government was committed to providing financial support and incentives to local healthcare businesses.

“Through strategic funding mechanisms and incentives, we aim to stimulate growth, innovation, and competitiveness within the health sector.”

Furthermore, Dr Segadimo said the ministry was actively seeking partnerships, both domestically and internationally, with public and private stakeholders.

He said such collaborations would leverage expertise, resources and knowledge exchange, thereby fostering a robust and sustainable healthcare ecosystem.

Dr Segadimo said research and development were critical for the health sector's growth, stating that government would allocate resources to incentivize research initiatives that drive innovation and contribute to the development of new, affordable, and life-saving medications and medical interventions.

The two days’ workshop was held under a theme; Transforming the Healthcare Industry for the Future. Ends