MILITARY HEALTH SERVICES

            

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Makoanyane Military Hospital (MMH) is the only Lesotho Military Hospital currently commanded by Brig 'Matumelo Francina Ramoqopo as Assistant Chief of Staff Military Health Services (ACOS MHS). The MMH was established in 1988 with the purpose of serving the Army personnel and their families. Before then there was an Army clinic which was established as early as in 1980. Its purpose was to minimize the influx of the uniformed personnel queuing at the Queen Elizabeth Ⅱ Hospital (QE Ⅱ) and other local clinics, such as Loretto and the Maseru City Council (MCC) clinic in Maseru urban. This initiative worked phenomenally well with the existing clinics though it was small in terms of accommodating Military personnel and their families.

The situation necessitates the revival of the project of constructing a mini hospital which would provide health services to the soldiers and their families. In 1984 there was a survey undertaken by the Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Commander and his general staff in collaboration with QE Ⅱ hospital management team. They ideally made an agreement that the LDF should build its own hospital. The 1984 survey had the following recommendations: It was cogently imperative for the LDF to expand the services of the then Army clinic by constructing some extension adjacent to the mini unit, to construct a local mini hospital facility at the Makoanyane Barracks, thus the latter perception was positively observed as opposed to the problems that were encountered by the soldiers during injures and sickness.

The recommendations gave birth to the construction of the mini hospital which was to provide the services to the soldiers who suffered illnesses and injuries. The hospital is about two hundred and fifty meters square. It has very minimal infrastructures and accommodates 36 inpatients. There are different departments which enable the LDF MHS to provide health services effectively to their clientele, such as Pharmacy, Laboratory, X-ray, Counseling, several wards and Maternity ward. The hospital is manned mostly by soldiers due to the fact that LDF trains soldiers in different qualifications. Also personnel are doing service training locally or internationally as to develop military personnel and to qualify as professionals into the arena of Medicine. The LDF MHS is not an exceptional, it works in line with the Lesotho Standard guidelines although subjects to the LDF rules and the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP's).

VALUES

  • Professionalism: Exercising competence, skills and good conduct to all.
  • Passion: to perform our duties with high moral and willingness.
  • Dignity and respect: that is to treat clients and one another with dignity.
  • Esprit-de-corps: working together to achieve common goal through cooperation, tolerance and commitment.
  • Integrity: to do what is right, at all times client's centeredness, applying all effort to ensure client satisfaction and confidentiality.
  • Cleanliness: Maintain both environment and personal cleanliness.
LDF MHS staffing pattern accommodates soldiers trained as nurses and nurse clinicians. The hospital provides health services to the minimal community of soldiers and their families, Lesotho Mounted Police Service, Lesotho Correctional Services, National Security Services, Government officials and emergency cases. The health services provided include X-ray, Physiotherapy, Pharmacy, Counseling, Laboratory, Dental, performing Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) and Surgery, either minor or major.

MISSION

LDF MHS is committed to providing efficient, affordable, high quality medical care, in a compassionate, integral human manner through preventive, promotive , curative and rehabilitative health care services to its clientele. Also provides its staff with conducive working environment, trainings, development and other opportunities to achieve their full potentials as the members of the health care team.

VISION

LDF MHS strives for excellence in integrated continuum of health care services in the region. Lesotho like any other countries worldwide has experienced an escalating HIV prevalence, therefore MMH is not an exceptional as it continued tirelessly to engage in strategies that will help in combating HIV and AIDS in the Army. The government of Lesotho through Ministry of Health is committed in providing quality health care to its citizens. International stakeholders like the United States Department of Defence (USDOD) in partnership with Population Services International (PSI) have played a pivotal part in combating HIV and AIDS in the Army and the Nation at large. Moreover, the MHS with its personnel has fully engaged in regular visit to the out patients and the deployed personnel outside Maseru for comprehensive health care services. This is through mobile clinic, provision of supply to the LDF orphanage and communities at large. Outreach programs in the place to the LDF retired personnel and community living around.

The PSI has also strengthened the MHS operations with personnel, training and provision of additional clinical staff and health services like HIV testing, Home Based Care Services, PMTCT, VMMC, Condom distribution and promotion "Know Your Status" campaigns during sports and other activities in the army. MMH with its professional staff has extensively extended VMMC services to the initiation schools where the initiative worked well. Also countries like China, India, Zimbabwe, and South Africa play pivotal role of training Nurses, Doctors and Paramedics for the LDF. LDF Paramedics operate in collaboration with other units within the Army, other government ministries and other security urgencies such as LMPS and Disaster Management Authority (DMA).

There are assets in support to perform the MMH daily duties to the maximum point which come from MHS budget such as Ambulances ready for emergencies and referrals. There must also be a mobile clinic catered for outreach operations, Home Based Care Services, provision of health education to the deployed military personnel and condom distribution.

Our People

LDF tasks are always delivered directly by soldiers through human interaction. They are our greatest assets. The LDF embraces diversity, inclusivity and contributes to society in everything it does. We have to make life-critical decisions and take purposeful action in sometimes hostile, confusing and unclear situations that occasionally test us to the limit of human endurance. Our training, development and preparation is personally rewarding but also ensures we are united by common values and strong bonds and will do the right thing, even under the most difficult circumstances.