The Ministry of Health (MoH) has sounded the alarm over a deepening crisis in Botswana’s public health sector.
In a statement released this afternoon, the ministry acknowledged mounting challenges, citing severe constraints on government resources. "Due to the ongoing financial challenges facing the country, which have severely strained the availability of medicines and medical commodities, the ministry has had to streamline some health services and prioritise saving lives above all else,” the statement reads.
The ministry listed a shortage of essential medicines and commodities used to treat hypertension, cancer, diabetes, eye conditions, asthma, sexual and reproductive health, tuberculosis, and mental health. Basic medical supplies such as dressings and sutures are also in short supply. In light of this, the ministry says operations that cannot be performed internally will be postponed. “Compounding this challenge is a one-billion-pula debt owed to private health facilities and suppliers, amongst others that the ministry is currently navigating. As a result, priority will be given to emergency and urgent surgical operations,” the statement adds. The ministry further indicated that all patients scheduled for non-urgent procedures at private referral facilities will, in the meantime, be monitored and managed through public health facilities.
Meanwhile, the ministry recently told Parliament that the government continues to face significant financial liability due to medical malpractice and negligence. According to Assistant Minister Lawrence Ookeditse, the government pays out between P150,000 and P3 million on average to settle such claims. He revealed that in 2021, the ministry handled 69 cases; 33 in 2022; 50 in 2023; 60 in 2024; and 41 as of July 2025 bringing the total to 253 cases over five years. In response, the ministry has adopted several interventions, including the establishment of the Medicolegal Unit in 2021. The unit is staffed with officers dedicated to addressing malpractice complaints and exploring alternative dispute resolution mechanisms. “This unit explores alternative dispute resolution so that grievances don't escalate to legal cases,” Ookeditse said.
