BOMaid opens condoms factory

Botswana Medical Aid Society, through its investment arm, South View, will open a condom factory early next year.

BOMaid Chief Executive Officer Dennis Alexander told Botswana Guardian they were still in the process of commissioning and bringing in the necessary staff. He said the factory would run at full capacity by January next year.

South View currently administers the BOMaid fund, a function which involves membership recruitment and relationship management; subscription collection; claims management (adjudication and payments); benefit design, administration and management; tariff negotiations and agreements with health care service providers; and service provider relationship management.

South View Business Development Manager Thulaganyo Molebatsi said however that, South View’s 100 percent subsidiary Alpha Access, would run the condom factory.

The company was formed as part of South View’s strategy to grow its operations in the health care industry in Botswana and in the region. Molebatsi mentioned that preparations to start operations are underway with production expected to start this December.  Through the company, South View purchased the assets of Latex Medical Products, a company that was in the business of manufacturing male latex condoms and other medical products, which was liquidated last year.  Molebatsi said that through the business venture, they are looking at creating more than 100 jobs in the short term, with the majority (over 95 percent) being citizens. 

Alpha Access is also planning to export latex medium products in the medium term and thus increase its role in the diversification of the economy as well as employment creation. The factory will be situated at Gaborone West Industrial.