Kutlwano Magazine

Rehabilitation centre brings rays of hope

Source : Kutlwano

Author : Taboka Ngwako

Location : Gaborone

Event : Interview

The long-awaited Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre at Sekgoma Memorial Hospital in Serowe has started phased operations in November 2025.

In an interview, the Ministry of Health Chief Public Relations Officer (PRO), Dr Christopher Nyanga says the centre would work hand in hand with psychiatric hospitals, clinics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

This, he notes, would be a part of the national referral system offering free in-patient and outpatient care, detox services, counselling, psychological and pharmacological treatment, as well as aftercare programmes.

“We saw the urgent need for Botswana to have a dedicated facility for alcohol and substance use disorders, as previously, patients were only assisted at psychiatric hospitals and clinics,” Dr Nyanga says.

He further states that to date, around P48 million has been invested in the refurbishment of the centre and at full capacity, the facility would accommodate 50 patients, divided into 20 adult males, 10 adult females, and 20 spaces for children and youth under the age of 19.

“Treatment will be tailored for different groups, including adults, young people, and even vulnerable categories such as pregnant women,” Dr Nyanga explains.

He adds that families, friends and significant others would also benefit from counselling sessions, recognising the broader impact substance abuse has on households and communities. ENDS

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Editors Note

We return once more with another mouthwatering edition. We bring you the Miss Botswana 2026 as our cover story to encourage young beautiful ones out there that hard work and perseverance always pays.

Our youth need to know that their God-given talent can be utilised to earn them a living. Be it in sport, beauty pageants or any pursuit they wish to undertake.

Life is not always about having a white or blue-collar job, waking each day to sit behind a desk in an office or working for someone or some company. It is all about maximising every little opportunity we have to accomplish that, which we desire.

We also feature a story of the Botswana Sports Awards, which saw a young man of the moment, a 400 metre World Champion and a national records breaker, Collen Kebinatshipi become the toast of the awards night. He came out of the night as the biggest winner.

This edition also brings to you the Foot and Mouth Disease painful reality as the nation continues to grapple with having very limited supply of beef.

Lesotho Jazz Music artist, Budhaza once sang that he has never seen a feast with no meat (Mokete o senang nama, kere ha ke so o bone). The reality is that this disease has truly affected one of the nation’s staple foods, beef. Lets all do what is necessary to ensure it does not continue to become a thorn in the flesh (beef) of our beloved cattle-rearing nation.

This edition also contains a solemn feature of a nation in grief following the death of its 3rd President, Dr Festus Gontebanye Mogae. The distinguished statesman was widely loved and appreciated for so many things that he was to Botswana and the world.

We see it fit to share with you his story and to help you find closure in this edition. Rra Nametso was laid to rest in Phomolong at the upmarket Phakalane Suburb in the North of the capital city, Gaborone.

In other news, we share with you stories of Southern African Development Community (SADC) regional integration. We share a story of late former South Africa President and global icon, Dr Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela use of an airstrip in Kanye during the apartheid struggle.

We feature also a story about a monument built in Lobatse to remember Dr Mandela. So sit back and enjoy the read as well as many other interesting articles.