28 Aug 2023

Government is prepared to facilitate an enabling environment for investment in health technology sector in the country, availing all necessary tools to ensure private investment flourishes.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi expressed these sentiments while welcoming South African-born, American-based health entrepreneur and scientist, Dr Patrick Soon-Shiong who paid a courtesy call at the Office of the President ahead of the World Health Organisation (WHO) 73rd Regional Committee for Africa being hosted in Gaborone this week.

The President yesterday told his visitor, the founder of NantWorks, the California, US-based company focusing on health and life sciences, energy and renewables as well as communications and connectivity, that government appreciated health biotech investment and sought to further facilitate its success.

Dr Masisi said Botswana was deeply indebted to Dr Soon-Shiong and his company for their commitment to invest in the domestic health sector, and that the country would continue to ensure the ambiance of policy, financial systems and other enabling instruments to support such business initiatives. He added that through the Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs, a company such as NantBotswana, the local subsidiary company of NantWorks, could be facilitated on the utilisation of water resources, which he said included ground saline water.

Furthermore, the President said he appreciated the key areas being pursued, including drug production, the use of drones, water generation, the development of vaccines as well as efforts to digitise the health sector.

Dr Masisi commended NantBotswana for their cutting edge work which he said would benefit the people of Botswana and the broader African continent, adding that the WHO Regional Assembly would be an opportunity for the continent to further discuss improving its participation in global health.

Having expressed interest in investing in Botswana after President Masisi’s visit to the United States in 2021, Dr Soon-Shiong oversaw the establishment of NantBotswana Vaccine Manufacturing Plant in partnership with the Texas Children’s Hospital Centre and the Baylor College of Medicine.

Based at the Botswana Digital and Innovation Hub (BDIH) in Gaborone, NantBotswana was launched in March 2022 to manufacture COVID-19 vaccines, cancer treatment medicine and next generation cell-based immunotherapy amongst others. ends