Botswana Declares Public Health Emergency Over Medicine Shortage

Botswana has declared a public health emergency after facing severe shortages of essential medicines and medical equipment. President Duma Boko announced the decision in a televised address, setting out a multimillion-pound plan to rectify the supply chain involving military oversight.

Boko said that managing shortages would be “highly price sensitive” due to limited funds. The crisis followed a downturn in the international diamond market and cuts to U.S. aid, leaving most of the 2.5 million population grappling with poverty and unemployment. The Ministry for Health also temporarily suspended referrals for elective surgeries and non-urgent medical conditions as a result of these challenges, including organ transplant surgeries.

Shortages included cancer, HIV, and tuberculosis treatments, once heavily supported by U.S. funding. UNICEF has called for “urgent action” in the country to “protect the health and future of every child in Botswana”.