UB hospital to operate as a parastatal
Baboki Kayawe | Tuesday August 23, 2016 16:00
In a communiqué published in the Daily News, government says given the level of national investment in the teaching hospital and the anticipated high running costs of such a hospital, it was important to ensure it has an “effective governing body and an effective management team”.
Moreover, the team must be focused on the excellence in the delivery of all services provided to and by the hospital.
“Accordingly, it has been decided that the management of the hospital should be entrusted to a company that exists as a legal entity. The company, the Botswana Teaching Hospital is registered under the Companies Act as a company whose liability is limited by guarantee,” says the statement.
It further reads:
“The company has only one member, the government of Botswana”.
Though a not-for-profit organisation, the hospital is expected to operate on commercial principles so as to be self-sustaining.
Those willing to serve in the board of directors must have background, qualifications and experience in one or more of these fields; finance, risk management, human resource management, legal (preferably contract law), research (medical field), medicine (having worked in a teaching university hospital at management level), engineer (biomedical or mechanical) and lastly, allied (having worked in a teaching hospital at management level).
“These individuals should be of high calibre, and persons who have distinguished themselves in their line of work as stipulated above. Appointments will be made by the ministry.
They must possess good leadership skills, exceptional business acumen and show a high level of integrity and ethics. They must demonstrate an understanding of the mandate of the Botswana University Hospital Board,” reads the statement. The hospital is intended to be a world-class referral health facility for specialist clinical services, patient care, research, clinical trials and teaching all health professionals.
Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health, Shenaaz El Halabi told the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) seating in May that the hospital would be operational this financial year, to among others, ease congestion at the country’s premier referral hospital, Princess Marina Hospital.