GOVERNMENT has given a notice for the termination of contracts for private laboratories operating within the University Teaching Hospital premises, citing the need to restore the main hospital laboratory to its full functionality.
Health Minister Sylvia Masebo said the government is aware of reports from the public indicating that some health personnel are referring patients to specific private laboratories within the hospital premises, a situation which has left the operation of the main hospital laboratory compromised.
Ms Masebo said that this had contributed to the hospital’s main laboratory not functioning fully because some health workers refer some patients to seek services from private laboratories or pharmacies due to their personal interests, even in instances where some drugs are available.
She said the government had given instructions to all public health facilities that going forward, no private laboratory or pharmacy will be allowed to operate within these premises to bring sanity to hospitals while restoring efficient operations of the hospital laboratories. PHOENIX NEWS.
