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The University of Botswana (UB) Clinic has been accredited after attaining an overall score of 96 percent in a rigorous three-year evaluation conducted by the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA).

COHSASA is a non-profit organisation that provides internationally recognised accreditation and quality improvement programmes for public and private healthcare facilities, primarily within sub-Saharan Africa. The accreditation process evaluates hospitals, clinics and long-term care facilities against rigorous standards that are validated by the International Society for Quality in Health Care External Evaluation Association (ISQua-EEA), ensuring quality, safety and excellence in healthcare service delivery.

Speaking at the handover of the accreditation certificate, UB Director of Health, Dr Chillindi Maloiso, highlighted the importance of the achievement.

“Accreditation recognises the hard work, professionalism and commitment of our healthcare staff. It confirms that the services provided at our clinic meet internationally recognised standards of quality, safety and excellence,” Emphasised Dr Maloiso

Dr Maloiso further explained that the accreditation process involved a comprehensive assessment of the department’s core functions. These included leadership and management, human resources and administrative systems, patient access and rights, clinical risk management and emergency protocols, information handling, quality improvement, infection prevention and control as well as the delivery of primary health care services.

For his part, acting Vice Chancellor, Mr Dawid Katzke, reiterated Dr Maloiso’s sentiments, noting that the recognition was the product of collective effort.

“Accreditation is never the result of an individual effort alone. It is the outcome of teamwork, accountability and shared purposes. It should not be viewed as the end of the process but rather as a foundation for sustained excellence,” remarked Mr Katzke.

In that regard, Mr Katzke noted that maintaining the standards achieved would require continuous learning, vigilance and a strong commitment to patient-centred care.

The accreditation is expected to strengthen UB’s campus health system, creating a safer and more enabling environment for students, staff and the wider community. Moreover, with the award, UB Clinic joins a select group of health facilities in Botswana that have attained internationally recognised standards of quality and safety.