COOPERATION BETWEEN BOTSWANA, CHINA VITAL. Minister of Health, Ms Dorcas Makgato has spoken of the need to nurture cooperation between Botswana and China in medical assistance. Speaking at the farewell dinner for the 13th China medical team in Gaborone on January 21, Minister Makgato said the team had been providing services to Batswana for the past three years. Thus, she said it was necessary to celebrate the friendship and technical cooperation that existed between the two countries. She told guests that the first China medical team started to work in Botswana in January 1985 with only 13 members in Francistown. Minister Makgato added that with the ever increasing demand for health services as well as the need to provide specialised services, numbers had over the years increased to the current 46. The increase in numbers, she said symbolised the true spirit of friendship and partnership by China to Botswana. Minister Makgato said Botswana recognised sacrifices the team had made by being separated from their families and their country for such a long time. She thus wished them a happy re-union and re-integration into their families and the Chinese society. Minister Makgato said much as the team had contributed significantly to the development of Botswana, she believed they also had been personally enriched, having been exposed to different people, languages, cultures and healthcare systems hence would put such valuable experience to good use back in their country. Assistant Minister of Health, Dr Alfred Madigele said Botswana recognised China’s efforts, especially in driving the health ministry’s vision of a “model of excellence in quality health services.” He added that Botswana was benefitting a lot from the symbiotic relationship, particularly in the area of specialists, which remainsed a challenge in Botswana. The Chinese Ambassador to Botswana, Mr Zheng Zhuqiang said in the last three years, the 13th China medical team had been devoted to serving Batswana and ensured delivery of quality services as well as contributing to the development of the health system. He said medicine and healthcare had long been one of the top priority areas in China’s assistance to Botswana. As requested by Botswana, China began to dispatch medical teams to Botswana since 1981. So far, 13 Chinese medical teams of a total of 373 medical personnel have been sent to Botswana and have provided clinical service to more than two million patients. Mr Zhuqiang said the Chinese medical team was committed to improving the general level of Botswana people’s health, adding for the past 34 years, health professionals from China, hand in hand with those from Botswana, had used their expertise and professional ethics to fight against diseases and saved numerous lives. He said alongside daily clinical services, the Chinese medical team also shared health techniques and clinical experiences with their Botswana Counterparts through lectures, case study, academic exchanges, among others. Again, he said the Chinese medical team’s excellent work did not only save lives but also improved medical and surgical competence of Botswana. As goodwill to Batswana, he added that the 13th China medical team procured two batches of medical equipment valuing over US$ 30 000 and donated them to Princess Marina Hospital and Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital in 2012 and 2013 respectively. Thus, he said they were happy that the equipment had played an important role in daily treatment in the past few years and made some operations possible in both hospitals. Further, he said equipment donation was not the only way of China’s assistance to Botswana. He indicated that in 2011, the Chinese government implemented Brightness Action which helped 200 Botswana patients regain their sight, and were now working closely with the Ministry of Health and the National Health and Family Planning Commission of China to finalise the date and details of the next Brightness Action for Botswana, hopefully to kick start this May or June. (BOPA)
Posted on: Tue, 27 Jan 2015 09:05:44 +0000
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