Botswana has suspended routine patient referrals to South Africa, acting on the advice from the country’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation’s as the wave of xenophobic attacks continue in some parts of South Africa.
Gaborone’s Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) said on Monday that it had suspended with immediate effect routing patient referrals to all hospitals in neighbouring South Africa due to the attacks, according to the capitals publication Pan Press.
Although no Botswana citizens have so far been a victim of the attacks, the hospitals said the move is a pre-cautionary one however, “referral arrangements for patients with life threatening conditions and emergencies will continue.”
“This was done to take into consideration safety of our staff and patients. We are aware that these attacks are happening in few areas in South Africa, but can have ripple effect,” said hospital’s Public Relations Officer Kagiso Motsumi
Botswana has over 120 students studying in the Durban area, where the xenophobic attacks that have so far claimed seven lives.
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