Botswana has declared a national public health emergency as the country grapples with shortages of essential medicines and equipment. President Duma Boko made the announcement in a televised address on Monday, pledging to overhaul the supply chain with military oversight. He confirmed that the finance ministry had allocated 250 million pula ($18.3 million) in emergency funds to stabilize the system. The move comes as Botswana’s economy suffers from falling diamond revenues and reduced U.S. aid, leaving hospitals unable to provide critical care for thousands of patients.

Earlier this month, Health Minister Dr. Stephen Modise revealed that the public health sector faced debts exceeding 1 billion pula, largely due to patients being admitted to private hospitals for services not available in public facilities. The shortages include cancer drugs, HIV treatments, tuberculosis medicines, and essential surgical supplies. Referrals for non-urgent procedures, including organ transplants, have been temporarily suspended. Before U.S. aid cuts by former President Donald Trump, Washington funded nearly one-third of Botswana’s HIV response, according to UNAIDS.

Government Measures And Military Oversight

President Boko, who took office last year after ousting the ruling party of nearly six decades, said the plan would involve military coordination to distribute supplies more effectively. “The work shall remain nonstop until the entire value chain of procurement has been fixed,” he said, acknowledging that solutions would be “highly price sensitive due to our limited coffers.” Trucks under military supervision began leaving Gaborone on Monday, carrying supplies to remote areas.

The UN children’s agency UNICEF urged urgent action to safeguard Botswana’s youth, warning that “malnutrition is a daily struggle” in towns like D’Kar. UNICEF said the president’s declaration reflected the reality of what aid agencies have been witnessing on the ground. Despite the gravity of the crisis, Dr. Modise insisted the situation was not insurmountable, expressing confidence that the government would overcome the shortages soon.