Lesotho health minister says his country must be less reliant on SA and “stop being beggars”

Lesotho’s Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane says measures are underway to improve Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital to provide the same services that Basotho seek across the border. Photo: Sechaba Mokhethi

Lesotho’s Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane has addressed concerns raised by South Africa over Basotho nationals and other migrants using its public health system.

Mochoboroane spoke to the media in Maseru last week, after meeting his South African counterpart, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, in Pretoria. The meeting follows an outcry over the denial of medical care to Basotho nationals at clinics and hospitals in South Africa, specifically by Operation Dudula.

But Mochoboroane has come back saying Motsoaledi “helped me understand how deeply rooted this issue is” and that the hostility stems from rising unemployment. He said an influx of immigrants had “overwhelmed their [South Africa’s] health system”.

“The resentment we see is from South Africans who feel their own people are marginalised in their hospitals, while migrants use up already limited healthcare resources,” he added.

But, said Mochoboroane, Motsoaledi had assured him that South Africa’s constitution forbids denying healthcare to anyone, regardless of nationality or immigration status.

”[Motsoaledi] also warned that the issue of undocumented migrants is increasingly exploited by new political movements as an entry ticket to Parliament.”

“We agreed that Basotho in South Africa should have equal access to health services, just as South Africans living in Lesotho receive care without obstacles.”

He cited the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase II as an example, where South Africans receive health services without hindrance.

He said he was encouraged when Motsoaledi appeared on television a day before their meeting condemning Operation Dudula’s actions.

“The root cause is unemployment. Lesotho must create jobs so our people do not need to migrate and cause problems elsewhere,” he said.

He said Lesotho must reduce its reliance on South Africa for healthcare.

“Our agreement allows us to send special medical cases to South Africa, but this cannot be sustainable. We must move towards self-sufficiency.”

Mochoboroane said measures were underway to improve Queen Mamohato Memorial Hospital in Lesotho to provide the same services that Basotho seek across the border, so that patients are referred there rather than to hospitals in South Africa. In March last year, Lesotho owed M211-million (R211-million) to the Free State province for patient referrals, a bill accumulated over years.

“This will help us stop being beggars by always crossing the border and pleading for every service. We must build a system that can meet the health needs of our people,” he said.

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