News

In a forward-thinking move aimed at revolutionising family health care, the University of Botswana (UB) in collaboration with the Botswana Association of Family Medicine, hosted the 9th Annual Family Health Care Conference drawing attention to the pivotal role that digitisation can play in improving primary health care across the country.

Themed "Primary Healthcare System Strengthening in the Digital Technology Era; Re- Shaping the Future of Primary Healthcare” the conference brought together influential leaders in primary health care to discuss the potential of digital solutions to address key challenges in family healthcare.

Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Health (MOH), the Secretary for Primary Healthcare, Dr Mareko Ramotsababa, highlighted the timeliness of the conference, noting that the Ministry of Health was actively engaged in revitalising primary health care in Botswana in that digitisation was at the heart of the transformative process.

Dr Ramotsababa elaborated on a major digitisation initiative currently underway which aimed at automating various health services to enhance patient outcomes. He explained that the project aligned with global trends where digitisation had significantly improved patient care.

“As a country, we are inspired by the substantial benefits that digitisation has delivered to patient care around the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, UB Acting Vice Chancellor, Mr Dawid Katzke, indicated that the University’s partnership with the Ministry of Health demonstrated its unwavering commitment to transforming research and knowledge into practical solutions. He underlined UB’s focus on driving healthcare innovation through cutting-edge research, highlighting the institution’s pivotal role in advancing the quality of healthcare in Botswana.

Furthermore, he said the conference aligned with the university agenda as it served as a platform for sharing ideas and bringing together innovators, learners and health practitioners.

The conference featured discussions on a variety of digital health solutions, including electronic health records, telemedicine and mobile health applications. The technological advances hold the potential to revolutionise health care delivery by making it more efficient and accessible. By automating processes and integrating data systems, health professionals can provide more personalised and timely care, which is particularly vital for managing chronic conditions and enhancing preventive care in family healthcare settings.

In addition, experts stressed the importance of investing in both technology and training to ensure that health care providers were equipped to leverage these new tools effectively

Consequently, the event highlighted successful case studies from other countries where digitisation has made a marked difference in healthcare outcomes. The examples provided a roadmap for Botswana as it embarks on its own digital transformation journey.