Moroke Sekobato
VITALITY Health Lesotho have marked their decade of existence in the country with the launch of a modernised healthcare facility at Soofia International School in Butha-Buthe.
The medical facility will serve Lesotho’s northern region, offering lifesaving emergency medical services, inter-hospital transfers, chronic illness management, clinical services, pharmaceuticals, and medical insurance.
The launch of the clinic at the Soofia International School premises, signifies Vitality Health’s renewed commitment to providing quality healthcare services.
It is also a prelude to the first phase of a high-care medical centre, valued at M15 million, which is set to become operational in 2025.
According to Vitality Health, this expansion reaffirms the company’s commitment to saving lives and improving access to quality healthcare.
It also marks a decade of fulfilment to their commitment to saving lives, and a significant milestone in the medical field in Lesotho’s northern region.
Primarily, the clinic will serve to improve access to medical services for Butha-Buthe residents, ensuring the well-being of students and surrounding communities.
With a decade of experience in saving lives, Vitality Health is a leader in medical and health insurance, offering support through their health insurance product, Bophelo Sheleng.
Speaking at the launch event, Vitality Health Executive Director, Semethe Raleche, emphasized the ongoing gap in the healthcare sector despite the government’s efforts.
He said Vitality Health had taken it upon themselves to address this gap.
“Today, we gather to celebrate an extraordinary moment in Vitality Health’s journey, a moment that reflects ten years of perseverance, growth, and unyielding dedication to transforming healthcare in Lesotho,” Mr Raleche said.
“This clinic opening its doors today in Butha-Buthe, stands as a powerful symbol of hope, progress, and a renewed commitment to the health and the well-being of our people.”
“Our journey began in 2014, a humble start with outsourced services like waste management and a coffee shop. We were entering uncharted waters. But Lesotho’s healthcare landscape beckoned us, revealing its profound challenges and immense potential.”
Their journey over the years, Mr Raleche said, reminded them of the harsh reality many Basotho faced daily, of lives lost or forever altered due to the absence of critical, life-saving pre-hospital medical services.
Mr Raleche said despite the government’s clear intentions as outlined in the National Health Policy, a significant gap remained in emergency healthcare services—a gap that demanded action.
“Hence, we took it upon ourselves to fill that void,” he said.
He further noted that Lesotho faced considerable obstacles in emergency preparedness including resource limitations, lack of infrastructure and funding constraints.
Lack of coordination and communication in the health sector, and absence of public awareness and training, also posed serious problems for the sector.
“A shortage of essential medical supplies, equipment, and trained personnel hampers emergency response efforts. The condition of our roads and limited transportation in remote areas create delays in delivering timely medical care,” Mr Raleche said.
“Insufficient financial resources limit our ability to fully implement comprehensive health programs. Gaps in collaboration between agencies often result in inefficiencies in emergency responses.
“Without widespread education on emergency preparedness, community-level interventions lose their impact. Addressing these challenges requires more than one approach.”
He thus stressed the need for investment in healthcare infrastructure, better training for emergency responders, and improved coordination among stakeholders.
“With our first ambulance, we embarked on the mission to provide pre-hospital emergency services. However, the slow market uptake was a stark reminder that we needed to think bigger,” he said.
“We had to redefine ourselves not just as a provider of emergency services but also as a comprehensive health risk management organization.
“We learned that only 1.3% of the population is covered by medical insurance, and even for those fortunate few, coverage gaps remain, particularly in pre-hospital emergencies.”
He said many Basotho were left without options, especially as they approached retirement. Vitality Health had thus stepped in by offering hope through its unique Bophelo Sheleng cover.
Mr Raleche described Bophelo Sheleng as a comprehensive health risk management solution that covered emergency response, interhospital transfers, medical evacuation, and essential medical services.
“As we stand here today, I am filled with immense gratitude—for Basotho’s trust and support, without which this journey would not have been possible. Through your trust, we’ve been able to save over 10,000 lives with our emergency medical services, support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, and manage nearly 30,000 cases in our clinics,” he said.
“We have become a trusted partner for businesses across the country, enhancing workplace health and safety, and solidifying our role in the health sector.”
Mr Raleche also revealed that the clinic’s launch was a prelude to a future M15 million critical care facility for Butha-Buthe adding, “today’s clinic marks the beginning of something even greater”.
“By early 2025, we plan to have established a critical healthcare facility here in Butha-Buthe, an investment of M15 million that will make it the first of its kind in northern Lesotho. The clinic we see today represents phase one of this project, and full operations are expected to begin next year,” he said.
“This launch is not just a celebration of our ten-year anniversary. It is the realization of years of relentless hard work, a beacon of hope for the future of healthcare in Lesotho, and a promise to our people. We remain committed to our vision of saving lives and making quality healthcare accessible in every corner of Lesotho.
Dr Yusuf Dambha, on behalf of the school’s management, described the clinic as a beacon of hope and healing, bringing essential services closer to students and the community.
“This facility will help not only the students but the Butha Buthe community. We are indeed proud of this clinic,” Dr Dambha said.
For her part, Butha Buthe Principal Chief, ‘Mamanamolela Mopeli, expressed her appreciation to Vitality Health for creating jobs in Butha Buthe.
“We are happy that the clinic is in our community. It will not only help us with its services as it has also created ten permanent jobs for our people. We are very grateful for that,” Principal Chief Mopeli said.
