Botswana has declared a national public health emergency as the country faces crippling shortages of essential medicines, medical supplies, and equipment, President Duma Boko announced Monday in a nationally televised address.
The president unveiled a multimillion-pula emergency plan to restore the nation’s fragile supply chain, assigning military oversight to ensure distribution of critical drugs and equipment.
“Managing the shortages will be highly price-sensitive due to our limited coffers,” Boko said, pledging that “the work shall remain nonstop until the entire value chain of procurement has been fixed.” The government has approved 250 million pula (£13.8 million) in emergency funding to stabilize the health sector.
Economic Strain and US Aid Cuts Deepen Crisis
The health emergency comes as Botswana’s economy reels from a sharp downturn in the international diamond market — the backbone of the country’s revenues. The crisis has been compounded by cuts in U.S. aid, once a major source of funding for Botswana’s renowned HIV program. According to UNAIDS, before the cuts under former U.S. President Donald Trump, Washington covered roughly one-third of the country’s HIV response.
Media reports indicate that the economic slump has left much of Botswana’s 2.5 million population facing rising unemployment and poverty levels.
Earlier this month, the Ministry of Health warned that the system was buckling under debts exceeding one billion pula (£55.2 million), forcing reliance on private hospitals for services that public facilities could not provide.
Shortages of Cancer, HIV, and TB Treatments
Health Minister Dr. Stephen Modise confirmed that essential drugs — including those for managing cancers, HIV treatments, and tuberculosis therapies — were in dangerously short supply.
Elective surgeries and non-urgent procedures, including organ transplants, have been suspended due to the crisis.
Still, officials sought to strike a tone of resilience. “I have no doubt that soon, very soon, we will overcome. This is definitely not insurmountable,” Modise said.
Military to Distribute Supplies; UNICEF Issues Warning
As part of the emergency measures, the military began deploying trucks Monday from the capital Gaborone, with supplies expected to reach remote communities within hours, according to Reuters.
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) called for “urgent action” to safeguard vulnerable populations. “Malnutrition is a daily struggle in towns such as D’Kar,” UNICEF said, adding that “the president’s call underscores what we witness on the ground.”
A Public Health System at a Crossroads
Botswana, long praised for its robust HIV response and health programs, now finds itself battling a systemic healthcare crisis that threatens decades of progress. With international support shrinking and domestic revenues squeezed, the nation faces a pivotal test of resilience.