A new era for medicine

Kitso Ramono
CUTTING INTO A NEW ERA: Minister Kgafela officially opening the FAH.

Francistown Academic Hospital (FAH) officially open

Close to three years after admitting its first patient, the Francistown Academic Hospital (FAH) was officially opened last Thursday.

Located along the A1 road on the outskirts of Tatisiding village, the private facility boasts 59 beds, with the hope that this will be increased to 150 beds in the long term.

The hospital’s staff contingent, a mixture of medical and non-medical personal, currently sits at 184, while a further 150 people were employed during the construction stage.

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FAH intend to provide specialists in nine key areas of medicine, including: Gynaecology, Gastroenterology, Arthroplasty, Orthopaedics, Joints Replacement, General and Specialised Surgery, General Medicine and Critical Care.

The hospital will also admit and provide professional, on-the-job training for healthcare students as part of their attachment.

Commissioned by Botswana Development Corporation (BDC) in partnership with Botswana Investment and Trade Center (BITC), BDC forked out an estimated P50 million to help see the project through to fruition.

BITC, meanwhile, facilitated work and residence permits for foreign staff and was also instrumental in engaging with stakeholders, particularly on the Zimbabwean side of the border.

The hospital is owned by the Indus Healthcare group, whose footprint in Botswana stretches back ten years, with the India-based group forming part of the local public/private partnership project providing specialist healthcare services throughout the country.

A new era for medicine
HEALTH BOSS: Minister Dikoloti

Officially opening the Hospital, Minister of Trade and Industry, Kgafela Mmusi, stressed there is an urgent need for such facilities in the region.

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“According to the new Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) forecast, health expenditure is expected to outpace GDP growth in almost every OECD country over the next 15 years.

“Health spending per capita will rise at 2.7 percent annually throughout the OECD, reaching 10.2 percent of GDP by 2030, up from 8.8 percent in 2018. Such rapid growth makes the healthcare sector a necessary and viable industry for capital investment in our current economic environment,” said Kgafela.

His colleague in government, Minister of Health, Edwin Dikoloti, congratulated the Indus Health Group for their dedication to providing high-quality health-care services to communities.

“I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude for your vision, expertise, and unwavering commitment to providing quality health care services. Your commitment to promoting medical excellence, combined with your strong collaboration with local stakeholders, has ensured that this hospital meets the established standards,” Dikoloti added.

For his part, FAH Executive Director, Dr. Navetej Singh thanked Batswana for welcoming him and his team so warmly to the country. Dr. Singh then led the dignitaries and members of the media on a tour of the facility.

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A new era for medicine
EXCITED: FAH Executive Head, Dr. Singh
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