No need for SoE – BONU president
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Wednesday September 3, 2025 10:01
Last week, President Duma Boko declared a state of emergency, citing the collapse of the country's medical supply system and deploying military personnel to distribute life-saving medications.
Addressing the media recently, Botswana Nurses Union (BONU) president, Peter Baleseng, stated there is no need for soldiers to be transporting drugs or medicine across the country.
'If there is a problem with supply chain management, it has to be managed civilly, and no military is needed to deliver drugs,' he said.
Baleseng added it is not expected of soldiers to carry out such duties in Botswana.
Whilst disapproving of the military's involvement in delivering drugs, he applauded Boko for mobilising funds to purchase medication.
'It's a welcome development that we've been looking for,' he said.
However, the BONU president criticised the delay in taking action, indicating that it put many lives in danger.
“The President could have acted immediately, but it took him a long time to act, which put a lot of lives in danger,” he continued.
He stated that they made a scientific assumption that the recent 18 deaths in Molepolole could have been prevented if the drugs or medication had been available.
“It is still an issue of debate, but it can never be a coincidence because medicines are meant to prevent diseases and alleviate pain. “So, the government intervention will be evaluated in due course,” he said.
Baleseng also highlighted that the issue of medication shortages has been ongoing since the COVID-19 era.
He noted that during the pandemic, companies closed, leading to a shortage of drugs, which was understandable.
However, the Ministry of Health's attempt to engage companies producing generic and cheap drugs as part of the solution was met with complaints from clinicians about their effectiveness.
The BONU president emphasised the need for the government to improve working conditions for nurses and to address health issues urgently.
'We can't afford to spend six months talking about no medications. There is a risk of developing drug-resistant strains of diseases like tuberculosis (TB).
'As such, it will be expensive and difficult to manage. We are also running a risk of the spread of TB because, without medication, it becomes extremely contagious,” added BONU president.
Baleseng also highlighted the harsh working conditions faced by nurses, including the lack of maintenance of medical equipment and infrastructure.
He cited an example of a clinic in the Okavango region where renovation work is taking too long, and nurses use the storeroom to provide health care services.
He indicated that storerooms are designed in a way that there is no ventilation.
“You can imagine the risk of TB transmission if nurses are working in a poorly ventilated storeroom. Not only could they contract TB, but it could also spread easily within the community,” he said
Baleseng emphasised that there is a need for immediate action to address the working conditions.