Ministry of Health — Botswana's public health agency overseeing emergency medical services, healthcare policy, disease surveillance, and pharmaceutical supply chains.
… Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr Neo Tapela said revamping the facility was about renewing the commitment to the dignity, wellbeing, mental health and recovery of young patients. …
… He said to address the challenge further, government had allocated P140 million to the Ministry of Health, a sum that he explained would be distributed to districts. …
Access to emergency medical care in Botswana’s hard-to-reach areas is set for a major boost after the Ministry of Health handed over six state-of-the-art ambulances to the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs. …
… Since then, Parliament has unanimously adopted the National Health Insurance Policy on the 19th August 2026, and the Ministry of Health has announced a ten-year partnership with Abu Dhabi Health Data Services (ADHDS) covering medicines, medical products and wider health-system co …
… He cited them as urgent calls for Ministry funding of a modern engineered landfill, procurement of a fire engine, repair of rain-damaged internal roads, and constructive dialogue between the Ministry of Health and nurses on the call-to-duty issue to protect uninterrupted health s …
… The Ministry of Health in Botswana has issued warnings emphasizing the need for these groups to stay indoors during peak heat hours and maintain hydration. …
… Despite the parliamentary request for a breakdown of the leading causes of death, Minister Mokgware deferred to the Ministry of Health, underscoring bureaucratic gaps in addressing the issue transparently. …
… Mr Gaolathe expressed gratitude to the US government, the American people, the US Embassy, the US CDC, the Ministry of Health, the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPA), public servants, scientists, communities and all partners who had contributed to the collaboration …
… The Ministry of Health, however, defended the appointment of Dr. Paramadhas and maintained that efforts are underway to stabilize medicine supply chains. …
To strengthen Botswana’s healthcare capacity and improve patient care, the Chinese Embassy has donated medical equipment worth P180,000 to the Ministry of Health. …
First Lady Kaone Boko has called for public education on mental health and early interventions, saying parents and guardians need guidance to identify early behavioural changes in adolescents that could lead to mental health conditions and substance abuse. She launched a revamped adolescent ward and therapeutic garden at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse, emphasizing the need for parents to pay attention to children's emotional and psychological wellbeing.
First Lady Kaone Boko has called for public education on mental health and early interventions, saying parents and guardians need guidance to identify early behavioural changes in adolescents that could lead to mental health conditions and substance abuse. She launched a revamped adolescent ward and therapeutic garden at Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital in Lobatse, emphasizing the need for parents to pay attention to children's emotional and psychological wellbeing.
Botswana's economy registered 3.5 per cent growth in the first quarter of 2025, attributed to increased diamond sales and cost containment measures. The MP for Francistown South noted that diamond sales rose from P100 million in July 2024 to P300 million in July 2025, and highlighted that the country's foreign reserves stand at P51 billion.
The Ministry of Health handed over six state-of-the-art ambulances to the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs to improve emergency medical care in Botswana's remote districts, with the goal of reducing emergency response times and improving maternal healthcare access. Minister of Health Dr Stephen Modise noted that the country's maternal mortality rate of 176.6 deaths per 100,000 live births is alarming and requires improved access to timely medical care.
Parliament unanimously adopted the National Health Insurance Policy on 19 August 2026, and the Ministry of Health announced a ten-year partnership with Abu Dhabi Health Data Services covering medicines, medical products, digital health, genomics and supply-chain support. The Minister of Health framed NHI as a question of dignity and equity, ensuring people can obtain quality care regardless of where they live or what they earn.
Palapye District Council is urging property owners to review and comment on a draft valuation roll between August 7 and September 4, 2026 via an online platform, with the final roll targeted for September subject to processing public input.
An 80% likelihood of a strong El Niño event is expected to bring soaring temperatures and prolonged dry spells to Botswana in the 2026/27 season, raising alarm among government and health experts over severe health risks including heat-related illnesses and water scarcity.
Botswana's Births and Deaths Registration System logged nearly 41,000 deaths between mid-2021 and mid-2026, with yearly figures ranging from 7,346 to 8,861 and average ages at death fluctuating between 67 and 79 years. The data was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, raising questions about healthcare system challenges and the causes of death.
Vice President Ndaba Gaolathe told the US CDC-Botswana 30th Anniversary Science Summit that Botswana should be shaped by prevention, preparedness and science-driven delivery over the next 30 years, with focus on strengthening scientific capacity, reinforcing institutions and building a self-reliant economy through stronger disease surveillance, investment in health workers, and African capacity to research and manufacture diagnostics and vaccines.
A parliamentary hearing saw Lobatse MP Kamal Jacobs demand accountability from health officials over persistent medicine stock-outs in public facilities, blaming administrative failures at the Central Medical Stores and questioning whether its acting director has the capacity to resolve procurement and distribution challenges. The Ministry of Health defended the appointment and stated efforts are underway to stabilize medicine supply chains, as the country's public healthcare system faces renewed scrutiny over shortages affecting patients with chronic illnesses and emergency care needs.
The Chinese Embassy donated medical equipment worth P180,000 to Botswana's Ministry of Health to strengthen healthcare capacity, including monitors, defibrillators, and syringe pumps. The donation was announced during ceremonies for the 17th and 18th China Medical Teams, alongside new health cooperation initiatives including a hospital partnership and cataract surgery project.
The Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health commended the 17th Chinese Medical Team for improving access to specialised healthcare and strengthening Botswana's health workforce. The team, comprising 28 medical specialists and 11 nurses, provided over 300,000 medical consultations and treatments during its assignment, and was officially replaced by the 18th China medical team.
St. George's University will host a ceremony in Gaborone as part of its 50th-anniversary celebrations to recognise over 130 Botswana physicians trained at the institution, many of whom work in the Ministry of Health and private clinical practice.
Dikeletso Nkgaswa, known as Motitinti, is a spoken-word poet whose Setswana performances use vivid imagery and rhythmic language to engage audiences and preserve oral traditions. His poetry journey began in Standard Three at Tshekedi Primary School in 1994, when a schoolteacher encouraged him to perform a Setswana recitation.
The Sunday Standard editorial criticizes the Ministry of Health's pattern of blaming others for medication shortages, citing prior accusations against the Central Medical Stores and manufacturers without addressing systemic issues.
The Ministry of Health has encountered instances of travellers refusing Ebola screening at Tlokweng Border Post, but says the cases remain isolated and the situation is under control with awareness efforts ongoing.
Botswana's new Employment and Labour Relations Act of 2025 will come into force on July 1, 2026, consolidating previously fragmented labour laws into a single framework. The legislation modernizes worker rights, aligns with international standards, limits fixed-term contracts to 12 months unless objectively justified, and requires employers to sign contracts with all employees including domestic and farm workers.
Ombudsman Stephen Tiroyakgosi says he will soon brief the nation on the government's response to the health crisis once commitments from the Ministry of Health have been consolidated.
Dr Christopher Nyanga, Chief public relations officer in the Ministry of Health, attributed increasing diagnoses of non-communicable diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular complications and cancers in children to unhealthy diets, obesity and sedentary lifestyles shaped by technology use.
Botswana's Ministry of Health has introduced new screening measures for all incoming travellers, including temperature checks and screening for Ebola symptoms, with particular focus on those who have visited the DRC, Uganda, or other Ebola-affected areas within the past 21 days. Symptomatic travellers will be isolated and transported to designated health facilities, and the public has been advised to avoid non-essential travel to affected regions and practise strict hygiene measures.
The Ministry of Health has warned of risks of Ebola importation following fresh outbreaks of Bundibugyo Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.
The Ministry of Health has addressed public concern and misinformation about Botswana's nationwide oral polio vaccination campaign, asserting that the exercise is safe and necessary to strengthen protection against polio.
The Ministry of Health has submitted a response to the Ombudsman's report on failures in Botswana's public health sector, proposing measures to address the service delivery gaps identified in the report.
The P457 million, 70-bed Edison Setlhomo Masizi Memorial Hospital is approaching completion after four years of delay beyond its original May 2022 handover date, with construction now reported at 99 percent and equipment arriving, though the project has been marked by poor workmanship including structural defects.