12 Mar 2025

The Letlhakeng District Management Team (DHMT) is facing significant pressure due to shortage of medical personnel and resources.
Currently, there are only seven medical doctors in Kweneng West, with one stationed in Salajwe, four in Letlhakeng District and two in Takatokwane.
Letlhakeng DHMT acting nursing superintendent, Ms Adelaide Oathotse acknowledged the challenges within their jurisdiction during a kgotla meeting addressed by Member of Parliament for Letlhakeng, Brigadier Domcaza Mokgwathi on Tuesday.
Ms Oathotse also said there were no radiographers available to operate the x-ray machine in Letlhakeng and no physiotherapist, forcing patients to seek such services in Molepolole.
Although, the x-ray machine was serviced recently, she said it was regrettable that there was no radiographer to operate it.
She said officers who were previously performing such functions had been transferred without replacements.
She also highlighted shortages of nurses and medical drugs as a challenge too.
Another challenge they were grappling with, she said was transport yet they had to make referrals to Molepolole almost five times daily.
She concurred with Brigadier Mokgwathi’s suggestion that establishing health posts could alleviate some of these issues.
Earlier, residents expressed concerns about overcrowding of patients at the Letlhakeng clinic and the shortage of medical drugs. They said some patients spent the entire day at the clinic without being attended to due to the overwhelming number of patients. Ms Kebafilwe Moselesele, secretary of the Village Development Committee (VDC), noted that the congestion at Letlhakeng clinic was particularly detrimental to the elderly, who often spent the whole day at the clinic and at times returned home without being attended to.
She said they had been promised a primary hospital since 2007, which was yet to delivered.
Another resident, Ms Sesame Kodima echoed similar concerns about congestion of patients at clinics and suggested that establishing health posts could help resolve the situation.
Meanwhile, Brigadier Mokgwathi informed residents that the government had approved the construction of a primary hospital in Letlhakeng.
He assured them that government was dedicated to improving healthcare and that he, as the MP, would continue to advocate for better health services, which was one of his priorities, along with road infrastructure, agriculture and education.
The MP urged public service workers to diligently serve the constituents, emphasising the crucial role of technocrats in service delivery. ENDS