After months of tension disrupting the flow of public healthcare services, the Botswana government and the Botswana Doctors Union had now reached a long-awaited resolution relating to emergency call duties in public hospitals.
It was noted that the mediation was led by the Minister for State President, Moeti Mohwasa, was instrumental in breaking the impasse. Mohwasa urged dialogue, requesting that the parties set aside confrontations in court and concentrate on negotiating together.
Under the agreement, the BDU will withdraw the current court proceedings on the terms and conditions of emergency call duties and will proceed with facilitated negotiations under the auspices of an independent chairman. Negotiations will begin immediately and will be aimed at a swift conclusion.
Doctors, as a sign of goodwill, resumed emergency calls immediately, ensuring that devices of critical care are attended to and tackling the shortages of staff in ambulatory units. The agreement, in the public view, has relieved concerns about the severe state of the health system and has henceforth restored public hospitals to working order.
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The main dispute lay with doctors being firm about workload being excessive, compensation being insufficient, and duty allocation being unclear during emergency shifts. Although the agreement does not yet deal with these fundamental issues, it opens up a serious avenue for real reform and continued dialogue
Besides restoring emergency services, this resolution opens the door for a more collaborative period in the public healthcare scene in Botswana: one that values negotiation over confrontation and puts patients first.
