Gov’t needs to give health care urgency it requires

The Monitor Editor | Tuesday August 25, 2026 10:31

The Member of Parliament is warning that patients suffering from chronic conditions continue to face potentially life-threatening interruptions to their treatment because of unreliable access to medicines.

Amid the shortages, many Batswana have been left with no choice but to look for other treatment alternatives such as herbs, with many not having had been scientifically tested for effectiveness.

Medications for hypertension, diabetes, heart problems and other non- communicable diseases are very costly and are not really affordable to the ordinary person who relies on old age pension as a source of income.

These medications cost up to P1,000, while the old age pension currently stands at P1,400, which is barely enough to buy basic groceries, electricity and pay the water bill.

While not the same level as first-world countries, Botswana’s health care system has been praised before.

Those who relied on the public health system were able to get medications frequently and issues of shortage of medicine were something that happened sparingly.

It's not like the previous government didn't have its own challenges when it came to the health system. However, the situation has worsened lately, with many Batswana acknowledging that they have gone for months without taking medications for chronic ailments.

There have been debates about this issue, and many have gotten angry. Some have given the answer that everything has its own allocated budget, hence no one should expect the health crisis to supersede other important projects.

Well, it is quite understandable that the government has many projects that are also important, but there is something called prioritising! Health is a fundamental human right; each and every citizen should have access to the health services they need, when and where they need them without suffering financial hardships.

The country’s health system has always had challenges such as a shortage of facilities, personnel and beds for admitted patients.

Hospitals are often crowded, and it is not uncommon for patients to end up sleeping on the floor, and now the existing problems have been exacerbated by the acute shortage of life-saving medications.

No one is saying that other projects should be ignored, but government needs to give health care the importance and urgency that it requires.

Certain chronic ailments are very dangerous, as prolonged periods without adequate drugs may end up causing more problems by harming other organs.

We are pleading with government to increase its efforts towards resolving the health crisis that the country is currently experiencing, especially the shortage of medications in the public health facilities.