IfG.CC -
Institute for eGovernment

The Public Service Day (PSD) has become part of a pledge to attain excellence in service delivery.

Speaking during the PSD commemoration in Gaborone on Thursday, July 9, the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, Mr Eric Molale said the day accorded public officers an opportunity to reflect on their past experiences on delivering to the nation.

Mr Molale said the overarching theme: Innovating Public Service Delivery to implement the 2016 Post Development Agenda, was work in progress as last year's theme also focused on innovation.

The Business Diary sought opinions from both public and private sector authorities on the achievements made this far to scale up service delivery nationwide.

Speaking specifically of the public service, Dr. Jeff Ramsay, head of Botswana Government Communication and Information Systems (BGCIS) said persistent toiling to improved service delivery, is the only solution.

Khama explained that “since 2008 there has been an explosion in the use of ICT by Batswana, with domestic internet subscriptions, mostly on mobile devices, rising from just over 250 thousand at the end of 2011 to nearly 1 million by August 2013, meaning that at least half of our citizens are now active online. Given this transformation Government recognises the need to accelerate the rollout of e-Government through expanded online services.”

The Minister of Transport and Communication (MTC) Nonofho Molefhi confirmed that a total of P42, 515, 330 was transferred to the DIS by a Letter of Authority, with P30 million transferred on April 20, 2012, and the rest on October 17, 2012.

Using what is known as mobile phone medicine, or telemedicine, clinicians across Botswana are consulting with medical specialists at Penn to get diagnoses and treatments for patients in rural areas quickly and easily.

The ministry has assisted various institutions for people living with disabilities with ICT equipment, applications and services. There is a need for the ICT sector to take into account the needs of the people living with disabilities in the development of ICT programmes, applications and services.

She said the machine, which is yet to be operational, would enable Indian doctors to consult and diagnose patients in Botswana without having to travel.

She said a patient would be connected to the machine and a doctor in India would diagnose the patient and recommend prescriptions, noting that the machine is already used in Ethiopia.

The Mobile Telemedicine Unit (MTU) based at the Francistown hospital will use information technology to eliminate distance barriers and bring medical services that are unavailable in rural communities to their doorstep. The unit has state of the art clinical devices that provide the same services as a stationary clinic. The equipment is tailor-made for the client's needs and will be manned by radiographers who will communicate the condition of patients with specialists at district and referral hospitals. The telemedicine units can be fitted with devices for mammography, surgical treatment, sonar and radiology to mention but a few. Dr Memory Muturiki, the chief executive officer of Mzansi Lifecare Group says the implementation of the project shows the commitment of the MoH and her company to bring the latest universal solutions to all Batswana regardless of their economic standing. Muturiki said the mobile unit is meant to bring tangible results in the healthcare sector of Botswana, particularly in rural areas where there is a high shortage of skilled personnel. "As a company, we share a common interest with African governments to decrease the mortality rate of their nations. We are a patient-centered company. We strive for clinical excellence and we value human dignity in our dealings with patients," she said.