On Monday, Botswana announced a public health emergency following a breakdown in the national medical supply chain that has left hospitals and clinics running short of essential medicines and critical items.
President Duma Boko, in a televised address, revealed that the military will take charge of an emergency distribution effort, with the first trucks expected to leave the capital for remote areas by Monday evening.
“The medical supply chain as managed by central medical stores has collapsed,” Boko stated. “This breakdown has resulted in a major disruption to health supplies across the country.”
He added that the finance ministry has released 250 million pula ($17.35 million) in emergency funds to secure medicines and consumables. Earlier this month, the health ministry had already warned of looming stockouts caused by financial challenges and moved to postpone all non urgent surgeries as supplies dwindled.
