872 people in need of wheelchairs

• Published date: 10 February 2023
• Publication title: Botswana Daily News

A total of 872 people across the country are in need of different types of wheelchairs, Parliament has learnt.

These include specialised adult and pediatric wheelchairs, different types of manual wheelchairs as well as electric ones.

Asssitant Minister of Health, Mr Sethomo Lelatisitswe told Parliament that of these, 282 were children in need of specialised pediatric wheelchairs.

He said in the greater Selebi Phikwe DHMT, comprising Selebi Phikwe and Bobirwa districts, there were 122 people, comprising 97 adults and 25 children fitted on various types of wheelchairs.

Mr Lelatisitswe said currently Selebi Phikwe alone had 14 adults with wheelchairs and one adult awaiting to be issued with a wheelchair, adding that the ministry was in the process of procuring one for him.

With regard to children, he said Selebi Phikwe had 16 children in need of wheelchairs.

Mr Lelatisitswe said 14 children were recently issued specialised pediatric wheelchairs and that the remaining two were due to be issued.

Parliament also learnt that the ministry was currently working on a framework tender for different types of wheelchairs.

Through this tender, Mr Lelatisitswe said different wheelchairs would be fitted on people in need by end of the 2023/2024 financial year.

In addition, he said the ministry was expecting 210 wheelchairs...