Employees of the Ministry of Health (MoH) countrywide will this month be making an effort to provide timely and equal service to Batswana.
Temba Sibanda, the Principal Public Relations Officer in the ministry, said that internal and external customers such as patients, suppliers, partners, donors and the general public will have equal access to health services, regardless of their economic standing.
The initiative comes about as the MoH recently established March as the month of Timeliness and Equity.
Last year December, the MoH started a tradition in which, from time to time, it tries to uphold its five values of integrity, customer focus, botho, as well as timeliness and equity.
“They will also be served with ‘botho’ and this will be done within a reasonable time as per our customer service standard. In order to fully attain this initiative in March and beyond, the Ministry staff, both at headquarters and at facilities, will continue to, amongst others, keep waiting periods for specialist medical care at two months or less as well as respond to correspondence within 10 working days,” said Sibanda.
Relaying more information on the timely service, Sibanda said that the ministry’s staff will continue to maintain 97 percent stock levels of all vital drugs in all government health facilities as well as pay all invoices within 10 days from the day of receiving invoice.
This month, employees will be encouraged to answer the switchboard and direct lines within four rings.
The MoH also challenges itself to promptly provide updates and guidance on Public Health matters during outbreaks.
Sibanda said Imprest will be processed within 5 working days from the day of receipt and efforts will be made to attend to outpatients in all government hospitals from 07:30a.m.
He also said that the ministry will also try to respond to Media queries within 24 hours.
“We encourage the public to call our Public Relations Office on our toll free line 0800 600 740 to give us feedback. This will enable us to measure the level of customer satisfaction as well as to improve in areas that we are not doing well,” said Sibanda.
