Bomaid honours first 50 members
As Golden jubilee celebrations continue
Medical aid society, Bomaid, this week celebrated and honoured its first 50 members who have been with the society since its formative years.
Out of the 50, 46 will be appreciated, and the four who are deceased, will be honoured through their families.
In 2020, Bomaid celebrated its golden jubilee but could not mark the occasion due to Covid- 19. On Wednesday, at the occasion that marked a continuation of their golden jubilee celebrations, some of these members were appreciated and awarded for their loyalty over the years.
Bomaid was established in 1970, and is one of the oldest medical aid funds in Botswana that provides an array of health care insurance products. It covers over 40 000 principal members, and 85 000 beneficiaries. This makes it the largest open medical aid fund in the country. Bomaid was established by a consortium which drew its initial membership from audit firms, parastatals and banking sectors in Botswana. The aim of these businesses was to pool funds together to assist their employees defray medical expenses. Currently, the society holds P350 million in reserves. One of its major highlights is that it was the first to offer HIV assistance programmes.
One of the members that journeyed with Bomaid throughout the years is Motlhabane Emang Maphanyane. He has been with Bomaid for close to three decades. Over the years Maphanyane and Bomaid have enjoyed a fruitful relationship.
Sharing his personal experience, he said that he was impressed by the assistance he received when he was diagnosed with a kidney disease in 2012. He sought medical assistance both locally and in neighbouring countries and was admitted in hospital for weeks.
At some point his benefits were exhausted due to the nature of the disease. Dialysis cost an estimated P80 000 a month. That is when he decided to explore kidney transplant. He eventually managed to convince Bomaid to tap into medical tourism for a transplant in India.
To prove that they cared more for their members, Maphanyane said that two members of the team were sent ahead to India where they scouted and sourced the best healthcare that he could get.
When he left Botswana to start the procedure for the transplant, a team of two was also sent to spend a week there and to ensure that everything went according to plan. “They were with me the entire journey.
They were a great help, because when you are sick, you want to focus on getting better,” he said. Manto Juliet Mokone has been a member since December 1982. She joined through a company that she worked for. When she had to take early retirement due to ill health, she continued to court Bomaid, as a pensioner.
Speaking during the event, Bomaid CEO Moraki Mokgosana said through their 2020 New Fund Administration project called Thobo System the Society has introduced a more efficient way of servicing members in a world where online service is paramount. “It allowed for a seamless transition of working offsite from the office and assisting members effectively during the Covid- 19 pandemic,” he highlighted.
He also noted that the Covid- 19 pandemic has underscored the need for people to have medical aid. “We are doing our audit next year, and we might have to dig into our reserves after spending a lot of money”, he said, noting that they had gone all out to cover their members during the Covid- 19 pandemic.
He also paid tribute to his predecessors, the likes of the selfless Dennis Alexander for the success that Bomaid has achieved. “Fifty years is a big milestone, and we would have loved to celebrate it last year,” he said, adding that it was also humbling to look back at where they come from. Lastly, he reiterated that their doors are always open to take feedback from members, and see where they can improve.
The Chief Operations officer, Thato Kubu noted that the many changes that they have made over the years have benefitted their clients. He said they are now looking to tap into wellness which is key in the new normal.
He said it is their wish to see their members maintaining a level of wellness in all spheres of their lives when they embark on their new strategy next year.