Health crises turn ugly head towards PMTCT programme
Sharon Mathala | Tuesday January 20, 2026 09:15
The shortage has sent shockwaves across the country that HIV-exposed babies could soon pay the price for a failing system. The memo states that infant formula supplies are running dangerously low, forcing the Ministry to tighten access.
Under the new restrictions, the programme will only provide formula to infants from birth to six months who are exclusively on formula, a move that has devastated the nation.
Even more alarming is the revelation that the Francistown warehouse, a key distribution centre for northern Botswana, is completely out of stock. For years, Botswana has proudly marketed its HIV response as world-class.
Now cracks have been widening. The baby formula shortage are exposing a harsh reality that the system is buckling, and the most vulnerable, being the life, are exposed as the ministry continues to claim all is well.
The PMTCT programme is a lifeline for HIV-positive mothers who choose not to breastfeed, following medical advice meant to protect their children. Any disruption to the supply of formula risks pushing mothers into dangerous mixed feeding practices, a known driver of HIV transmission in infants.
Ministry of Health spokesperson, Christopher Nyanga, confirmed to The Monitor that the leaked memo is genuine, conceding that the situation is serious.
“Although this is an internal communication, I can confirm to you that it is legit,” he said.
“We are experiencing low levels of infant formula at our warehouses. The good thing, however, is that most of our facilities still have stock. We are also expecting some consignment to be delivered this week, which will improve our stock levels.”
But for mothers queueing at clinics, “expected consignments” offer little comfort.
In recent months, The Monitor and its sister publication. Mmegi, have carried stories of patients who were turned away due to drug stock-outs, cancer patients missing treatment, and clinics operating with skeleton staff.
Public health unions have also exposed this crack, but the Ministry remains adamant. Health activists warn that restricting formula access could trigger panic, confusion and unsafe coping mechanisms, particularly amongst poor households that cannot afford commercial alternatives.
Rural mothers, already burdened by transport costs and long distances, are often the first to fall through the cracks.
'First, it’s a ‘temporary shortage’, then it’s rationing, and before you know it, people are told to ‘make a plan’. But you cannot make a plan with a newborn,” a concerned citizen told The Monitor.
The Francistown stock-out raises further red flags. Past investigations have shown that once regional warehouses run dry, clinics in surrounding districts also feel the impact.
The infant formula crisis adds to a growing list of red alerts in Botswana’s healthcare system, from failing procurement processes to budget pressures and poor planning. Whilst officials insist the situation is under control, reality on the ground suggests otherwise.