Shot in arm for Health Ministry

…as CHAI donates M2.7 million worth of medical equipment to ministry

Ntsoaki Motaung

The Minister of Health Semano Sekatle received a donation of medical equipment worth M2.7 million from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) at the Ministry Headquarters in Maseru yesterday.

Speaking at the event of the handover, Sekatle expressed the Country’s indebtedness to the CHAI for extending a life-saving hand to Lesotho at a critical time in the health of every nation especially as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We are indeed honoured to receive the medical donation from CHAI. I can assure you that the equipment will be put into good use. Not only for Covid-19 but even beyond the pandemic. We are quite hopeful that it will last us until we are over the covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

Sekatle indicated that, CHAI has always been with the Ministry of Health since start of Covid-19 helping with the rollout of vaccines.

Meanwhile, speaking at the same event, Director General of the Ministry of Health Dr ‘Nyane Letsie indicated that, when the Covid-19 pandemic started, the Ministry approached different investors in and out of the country to help and CHAI contributed.

“The equipment we are receiving today is going to be used both on Covid-19 patients as well as those without Covid-19 in ICU, maternal wards and also in normal wards. We have PPE, cloves and sheets for operation theatre together with oxygen and oxygen concentrators,” she said.

She said the equipment would be distributed to hospitals and clinics in the country for both government-owned and for Christian Health of Lesotho (CHAL)-run health centers.

For her part, the Country Director of CHAI Ester Mandara said CHAI worked with one of its partners to mobilize critical medical equipment and supplies.

“It is with great pleasure today that we donate to the Ministry of Health a 40-foot container with substantial equipment and supplies worth M2.7 million to support in the Covid-19 response and other critical areas. We commit to continue supporting the Ministry of Health to have a healthy population living a quality and productive life,” she said.