Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1628
Title: Stakeholders’ perceptions on shortage of healthcare workers in Primary Healthcare in Botswana: focus group discussions
Authors: Nkomazana, Oathokwa
Mash, Robert
Shaibu, Sheila
Phaladze, Nthabiseng
Keywords: Health workers
primary healthcare
healthcare
healthcare services
Botswana
Issue Date: 18-Aug-2015
Publisher: Public Library Science; https://www.plos.org/
Citation: Nkomazana, O. et al (2015) Stakeholders’ perceptions on shortage of healthcare workers in primary healthcare in Botswana: focus group discussions. Plos One, Vol. 18, No. 8, pp. 1-15
Abstract: Background An adequate health workforce force is central to universal health coverage and positive public health outcomes. However many African countries have critical shortages of healthcare workers, which are worse in primary healthcare. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions of healthcare workers, policy makers and the community on the shortage of healthcare workers in Botswana. Method Fifteen focus group discussions were conducted with three groups of policy makers, six groups of healthcare workers and six groups of community members in rural, urban andremote rural health districts of Botswana. All the participants were 18 years and older. Recruitment was purposive and the framework method was used to inductively analyse the data. Results There was a perceived shortage of healthcare workers in primary healthcare, which was believed to result from an increased need for health services, inequitable distribution of healthcare workers, migration and too few such workers being trained. Migration was mainly the result of unfavourable personal and family factors, weak and ineffective healthcare and human resources management, low salaries and inadequate incentives for rural and remote area service. Conclusions Botswana has a perceived shortage of healthcare workers, which is worse in primary healthcare and rural areas, as a result of multiple complex factors. To address the scarcity the country should train adequate numbers of healthcare workers and distribute them equitably to sufficiently resourced healthcare facilities. They should be competently managed and adequately remunerated and the living conditions and rural infrastructure should also be improved.
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/10311/1628
ISSN: 1932-6203
Appears in Collections:Research articles (School of Medicine)

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