Health Minister Dismisses Allegations of Mismanagement at Maseru District Hospital

Minister of Health Selibe Mochoboroane has dismissed claims of corruption and mismanagement at Maseru District Hospital. The allegations were made by Dr Wenjun Fan, Head of the hospital’s Eye Department, who has since been suspended. Dr Fan described the hospital as facing operational challenges, with concerns over medical protocols, procedures, and patient safety.

Minister Mochoboroane said the allegations were unfounded and motivated by personal ambition, noting that Dr Fan had been seeking the position of Director-General of Health Services. He emphasized that the hospital operates under proper management and that there is no evidence supporting claims of patient deaths or financial mismanagement.

The 200-bed hospital was funded through a CNY400 million donation from the Chinese government and was built by Shanghai Construction Company between April 2021 and April 2024. The facility includes departments for ophthalmology, intensive care, dialysis, CT scans, and infectious diseases. It is intended to strengthen Lesotho’s healthcare infrastructure and provide high-quality services.

Addressing the manual record-keeping at the hospital, Minister Mochoboroane explained that the full digital system has not yet been installed, requiring temporary use of manual records. He added that management and departmental meetings are held regularly to review hospital operations, including patient deaths, to ensure oversight and accountability.

Regarding equipment and training, the minister acknowledged that some resources may still be pending in a newly opened hospital. He clarified that training opportunities are available for both management and junior staff, with 40 nurses currently in training in China. Any delays in using specialized equipment are due to staff still learning to operate it, not mismanagement.

Minister Mochoboroane also addressed patient service concerns, noting long queues at the hospital. He explained that many patients bypass local clinics and go directly to the hospital, which increases demand. He encouraged patients to use local clinics as the first point of care to reduce congestion.

The minister clarified the recent transition from Tšepong Consortium to Tsebo Health Solutions. The government will continue to manage the public wing of the hospital while the private wing will operate with specialised doctors through Tsebo-Busamed. This arrangement allows access to expertise, reduces patient referrals to South Africa, and aims to provide high-quality care locally. Patients using the private wing independently or via medical aid will cover their own costs, while referrals from the public wing will be funded by the government.

Minister Mochoboroane acknowledged the difficulty in attracting doctors to rural areas and outlined plans to improve retention through enhanced packages and allowances. Mountain allowances have increased from M270 to M1000 per month to incentivize doctors working in remote locations. The goal is to ensure a strong, capable workforce across the country and reduce reliance on foreign medical services.

The minister concluded that Maseru District Hospital is functioning according to proper procedures and that ongoing initiatives aim to strengthen service delivery, improve patient care, and develop a health system that meets national needs.