Maseru, Oct. 29 — Medical aid coverage is extremely limited among the Basotho nation as only one in 50 adults say they have insurance that helps pay their medical bills if they get sick.
This is according to the new Afrobarometer survey which has also revealed that almost two-thirds of citizens say they worry about being able to obtain or afford medical care when they need it and most Basotho endorse universal access to health care.
The survey mentioned that among those who had contact with a public clinic or hospital during the past year, three-quarters report that it was easy to obtain the medical assistance they needed but many say they encountered problems such as long wait times, a lack of medicine or supplies, facilities in poor condition and absent medical personnel.
It also mentioned that one of the key findings from this survey revealed that Basotho who had contact with a public clinic or hospital during the year preceding of the survey, majorities report encountering long wait times stood at 74 percent and inadequate medical supplies were at 62 percent, while more than one-third say they found facilities in poor condition and were ranked at 38 percent and while absent medical staff were at 34 percent.
