Lesotho News

The Ministry of Health in Lesotho, recognizing the importance of focusing at the district level for vaccination service delivery has, in partnership with WHO Lesotho, began conducting training of health facility nurses on the RED Approach strategy to strengthening vaccination coverage for the districts with the largest numbers of unvaccinated children.

The first training was conducted in Leribe from the 08th -11th October 2012. The training was facilitated by Mrs. Perpetua Kububa, a WHO consultant and Mrs. Selloane Maepe the EPI focal person in WCO Lesotho.

The Lesotho Ministry of Health has recently concluded meetings on Annual Operational Plans 2013 with hospital representatives from throughout the country. The first planning exercise was conducted in Leribe from 22/10-26/10/12 with representatives from Mokhotlong Government Hospital and District Health Management Team (DHMT), Butha-Buthe Hospital and DHMT, Leribe Hospital and DHMT, Berea Hospital and DHMT, Maseru DHMT, Seboche, Mamohau, Maluti, Scott and St Joseph’s Hospitals.

The Ministry of Health in partnership with the UN Agencies conducted a workshop on Adolescents Health Situational Analysis and Development of Adolescents Health Standards in Lesotho which started from the 19th to 24th November 2012 at Khali Hotel in Maseru.

The Ministry of Health conducted a two day consultative meeting to review three documents that are aimed at revitalizing Primary Health Care from the 05th to 06th December 2012.The documents include the Primary Health Care Strategy, Community Health Worker policy and Ministry of Health supervision policy. The Director General of Health Services, Dr. Moteetee in the Ministry of Health opened the workshop. State functionaries, UN agencies, other development partners, and health implementing partners attended this consultative meeting.

The Kingdom of Lesotho received United Nations Central Emergency Response Funds (CERF) following food insecurity after severe drought in July 2012. In anticipation of severe malnutrition and other childhood illnesses, the WHO Lesotho and other UN Agencies supported the government on nationwide training of health workers in health facilities.

The Kingdom of Lesotho launched its National Cervical Cancer Screening Program on the 30th January 2013 at Sankatana Centre of Excellence in Maseru, with the assistance of the American People, through funding from the United States for International Development (USAID), and in cooperation with the Ministry of Health and EGPAF. The inauguration also celebrated a very important day which is celebrated every year on the 04th February, World Cancer Day, under the theme of “Know the fact about Cancer”.

Lesotho recently completed a training session on the development of a National business continuity plan for the country, which was followed by the development of a draft plan. Present at the training were the International Health Regulations Manager Mr Khotso Mahomo, Chief Executive Disaster Management Authority „Mé Mojaki, StratMan Consultants, Government Officials and Representatives from non-governmental organizations. Dr. Mufunda, WHO Representative, opened the training session, which took place over 3 days.

The National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, being funded by Partners in Health, in cooperation with the Ministry of Health, was officially launched on the 05th February 2013 at Bots’abelo in Maseru district. The function was beautified by the presence of the Right Honorable Prime Minister, Dr. Motsoahae Thomas Thabane, government ministers including the Honorable Minister of Health, Dr. Pinkie Manamolela, United Nations, Diplomatic corps and Non-Governmental Organizations Representatives, media and community at large. 

The Human Security Unit (HSU) of the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security (UNTFHS) visited Lesotho from 3-9 March 2013. The purpose of the mission was to provide an opportunity for the HSU to assess the progress of the project implementation and the application of the human security, appreciate the challenges and added value of implementing the human security approach as well as providing guidance where necessary.

The Ministry of Health, with support from the UN country team, conducted the MAF validation workshop for stakeholders on the costed MAF action plan on the 28th March 2013. The costing of the MAF action plan was facilitated by the WHO Inter Country Support Team through Dr. Nganda from Harare and Dr. Getachew Atnafu from the WHO Ethiopia. The objective of the workshop was to share and discuss identified interventions, bottlenecks and solutions on MAF action plan and reach consensus. Director General of Health Services, Dr. Mpolai Moteetee, opened the meeting.