. . . Parliament urges Mochoboroane to act swiftly 

Mohloai Mpesi 

THE Speaker of the National Assembly, Tlohang Sekhamane, has asked the Minister of Health, Selibe Mochoboroane, to attend to recurrent reports of Basotho working in South Africa being denied health services in that country. 

This after the leader of the opposition, Democratic Congress (DC) leader, Mathibeli Mokhothu, raised the issue in the House on Thursday. ? 

Mr Mochoboroane had met with his South African counterpart, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, last month to find a solution to the problem of Basotho being blocked from accessing health services at South African health centres by controversial anti-immigrant group, Operation Dudula. 

Writing on his Facebook page after returning from meeting Dr Motsoaledi, Mr Mochonoroane had claimed the meeting had yielded “positive results”. 

But Mr Mokhothu told parliament on Thursday that he had received a phone call from one of his constituents, who lives and works in South Africa, complaining that he had been denied medication at three South African health centres.? 

He said the complainant had explained that he was denied services and told that the medication he needed has been strictly budgeted for South African citizens only. 

“Five minutes before coming into the House, I received a message from a citizen from the Qhoali constituency. I cannot mention their name for the purpose of privacy. 

“He said he has been sick for three months and unbale to work in South Africa where he lives. He said he had gone to three health facilities in South Africa but returned without being helped,” Mr Mokhothu said. 

The person is now sick and is seeking help to come home and battle his illness at home where he will be able to access medication, he added. 

“He gave me two options: that I either send him money so that he comes home and battle his illness at home where he can access medication while abandoning his work in South Africa, or I make sure that his family takes the pills to him in South Africa. 

“I asked him why health facilities in South Africa are denying him medication and he said he was told that the medication has been budgeted only for South African citizens exclusively. 

“So, this issue is concerning because I remember that (last month) the Minister of Health made attempts to ensure good working relations between Lesotho and South Africa,” he said. 

Mr Mokhothu said he wondered how many more Basotho were facing similar problems. 

“We are advising the government to find out where every Mosotho lives in South Africa so that they can have their medication delivered in South Africa. 

“I wonder how many more Basotho are facing the same predicament in South Africa. If there is a large number of them, is it not wise for the government to find were Basotho live in South Africa so that they will be served with medication there?” he asked. 

Mr Sekhamane implored Mr Mochoboroane to attend to the issue since it is matter of life and death. 

“…The right person is here. Minister (Mochoboroane) should attend to this matter because it seems that the situation is bad . . . .,” said the Speaker. 

“I humbly ask the Minister of Health to please attend to that matter.”