The Ministry of Health and Wellness will host the World Health Organization's Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, from 3rd - 5th October 2017. She will be on a three day official visit. Dr Moeti will be accompanied by senior management from the Regional Office.

 

Upon arrival, Dr Moeti will meet with the Minister of Health and Wellness, Honourable Dorcas Makgato and her team, where they will discuss co-operation and support between Botswana and WHO over the years and going forward. Later on, Dr Moeti will pay courtesy calls to the Acting President, His Honour Vice-President Mokgweetsi Masisi and the Acting Minister of International Affairs and Co-operation Honourable Eric Molale. In the evening, the Minister of Health and Wellness will host a dinner in honour of the Regional Director.

 

After the brief high-level interactions, Dr Moeti will visit Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital and then the WHO Collaborating Centre for Nursing and Midwifery Development at the University Botswana before proceeding to the Bontleng Clinic which spearheads the See and Treat Initiative. She will also visit the Baylor Children’s Centre of Excellence as well as Botswana Family Welfare Association (BOFWA), an NGO that provides health services to youth. Dr Moeti will conclude her tour of facilities with a trip to Scottish Livingstone Hospital in Molepolole where she will tour the Maternity ward and the Youth Friendly Services Clinic. She will also visit the occupational Health Unit at a local clinic that focuses on TB among former miners.

 

In the evening of 4th September 2017 Dr Moeti will deliver a Public Lecture entitled “Transforming Africa’s health: leaving no one behind” at the University of Botswana Conference Centre. She will take advantage of her presence in Botswana to meet with the SADC Executive Secretary Dr Stergomena Lawrence Tax and later the United Nations Heads of Agencies.

 

At the end of the tour, the Regional Director and the Minister of Health and Wellness will reflect on the mission and way-forward before hosting a press conference at Masa Square Hotel in Gaborone.

 

Dr Matshidiso Moeti, who is a Motswana, assumed office in February 2015 and is on her first official visit to Botswana. She departs on 6 October 2017.