Botswana has declared a public health emergency following a nationwide shortage of essential medicines and hospital supplies.
President Duma Boko made the announcement in a televised address, unveiling a multimillion-dollar recovery plan with military oversight. He admitted that managing the crisis would be “highly price sensitive due to our limited coffers.”
The crisis is also linked to a shrinking national budget caused by the ongoing downturn in the global diamond market.
Botswana, with a population of 2.5 million, is one of the world’s largest diamond producers. Its vast diamond reserves, discovered just after independence from Britain in 1966, make up about 80 percent of the country’s foreign earnings.
Unemployment and poverty have been on the rise, leaving the nation’s people vulnerable.
Emergency Plan to Rescue Healthcare
The president revealed that his government approved 250m pula ($18.3m) in emergency funds to stabilise medical supplies. “The work shall remain nonstop until the entire value chain of procurement has been fixed,” he promised.
Military trucks began distribution from Gaborone on Monday, with the first deliveries expected in rural communities by nightfall. The plan prioritises critical medicines, especially for cancer, tuberculosis and HIV treatment.
The shortages come at a time when Botswana owes over 1bn pula to health providers. Much of the debt was caused by patients seeking specialised care in private hospitals for services unavailable publicly.
Before US funding cuts under former President Donald Trump, America provided about a third of Botswana’s HIV response, according to UNAIDS.
Hope Amid Strain
Health Minister Dr Stephen Modise admitted the system faced “significant challenges” but insisted the country would endure. “I have no doubt that soon, very soon, we will overcome. This is definitely not insurmountable,” he said.
Still, his ministry has suspended elective surgeries and non-urgent referrals, including organ transplants, to conserve resources.
Meanwhile, UNICEF called for “urgent action” to protect children, warning that “malnutrition is a daily struggle” in some communities like D’Kar. It said the president’s declaration reflects realities its teams witness on the ground daily.
President Boko, a 55-year-old Harvard-trained lawyer, came to power after his Umbrella for Democratic Change party ended 58 years of dominance by the ruling party. His campaign promised to reduce Botswana’s over-reliance on diamonds.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment💬, share this article, and join us on our social media handles. You can also Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
