Limpho Sello
THE Malubalube Community in the Mokhotlong District recently breathed a sigh of relief after the government finally opened a health post after 20 years of unfulfilled promises by the previous governments.
The Minister of Health, Nkaku Kabi, officially opened the post on behalf of the government.
Speaking on behalf of the community, Retselisitsoe Morojele, said the area has been deprived of health services for many.
Mr Morojele said some doctors used to fly to treat patients but most of them would eventually give up as they complained that the government was ignoring them.
“We therefore had to survive without health services and had to resort to the district hospital which is 32km away and over three hours’ drive using an off-road vehicle because of the bad roads,” Mr Morojele said.
He said eventually the community decided to contribute M10 for each household in 1994 and started erecting the structure for the facility in 1995.
However, he said, even after their efforts, the government reportedly reneged on opening the clinic for 23 years.
“Governments have changed countless times but they still did not fulfill the promise until today of which many are still skeptical whether or not the health post has been opened for sure.”
For his part, Bobatsi constituency legislator, Mooki Sello, said in 2016 the community gathered at the health post grounds hoping that the facility would be opened only to realise that it was only a vaccination campaign.
“I hope today the official opening is a reality. Now that the clinic is going to be operational let’s fight to save lives. Health needs to be prioritised.
“I appeal to the public to guard the clinic jealously so that it assists them when they need help,” Mr Sello said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Mr Kabi said the key issue in the opening of the post was the provision of universal health services to the public at large not minding their geographical location.
“My ministry is working to expand health services around Lesotho as a way of covering the hard to reach areas.
“We want to provide health services for the community and that is why we left our offices to come this far to open this facility.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) representative, Susan Thembo, said the opening of the health post was a clear indication of the commitment of the Ministry of Health to realise universal health coverage.
She said the event augured well with the 13 April 2018 World Health Day commemorations that ran under the theme “Universal Health Coverage, everyone, everywhere”.
Dr Thembo congratulated the Ministry of Health for ensuring that communities can easily access health services without digging deep into their pockets for consultations and heavy transport fees to reach the nearest health facility.
“WHO appeals to the government to ensure that essential services are provided at this facility by placing staff that provide the services and always ensure that commodities and equipment needed to deliver such services are made available,” Dr Thembo said.
