Karate gets healthy P800, 000 deal
The karate national team has secured a sponsorship deal worth P800,000 from Kalafhi Medical Centre. National team players will receive primary health care for a period of four years. The Botswana Karate Association (BOKA) and Kalafhi Medical Centre sealed the deal during a ceremony in Gaborone this week.
BOKA president, Tshepo Bathai said they have been with Kalafhi Medical Centre since last year. He added they have always struggled with medical care for national team athletes. He said they do not undermine the assistance they always receive from the Botswana National Sport Commission (BNSC).
“We are always worried when athletes pick injuries during training or competition. But now that will change because Kalafhi will avail a doctor or any qualified medical officer in all our activities. In some instances, athletes would pick an injury and we would just brush it aside thinking that it is nothing only to discover at a later stage that a career has ended because of that,” he said.
Bathai said there are other services from Kalafhi that they would announce at a later stage, adding that they would manage the sponsorship deal well to renew the contract when it ends. He said the partnership is expected to motivate other National Sport Associations (NSAs) to seek assistance from the private sector.
Kalafhi Medical Centre managing director, Dr Matlhogonolo Mouwane said they will provide the national team with primary health care worth P800, 000 and each athlete would be granted services worth P2, 000 annually, but it is also possible to assist those who need services above the set limit.
“The support is not only in monetary terms, but as well as offering skills and knowledge and medical advice service,” she said.
Officiating at the ceremony, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Edwin Dikoloti said sports and physical activities have been used as tools to improve physical and social well-being to raise awareness on non-communicable diseases campaigns led by athletes in most cases.
“The partnership between Kalafhi Medical Centre and BOKA is a great development and as government, we commend the good gesture. Karate national team is made up of athletes from different parts of the country and they all need medical assistance. The presence of Kalafhi personnel would reduce fear in athletes as nothing is as heartbreaking as losing talent due to an injury,” Dikoloti said.