02 Oct 2025

The Ministry of Health has confirmed that the long-awaited Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Centre at old Sekgoma Memorial Hospital in Serowe will officially start phased operations in November.

In an interview, the ministry chief public relations officer, Dr Christopher Nyanga, said the centre was established to respond to the rising challenge of alcohol and drug abuse across the country.

“We saw the urgent need for Botswana to have dedicated facility for alcohol and substance use disorders as previously patients were only assisted at psychiatric hospitals and clinics,” said Dr Nyanga.

He further stated that the centre once operational, would work hand in hand with psychiatric hospitals, clinics and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) as part of the national referral system and would offer free in-patient and out-patient care, detox services, counselling, psychological and pharmacological treatment, as well as aftercare programmes.

According to Dr Nyanga, to date, around P48 million had been invested in the refurbishment of the centre and at full capacity, the facility would accommodate 50 patients, divided into 20 adult males, 10 adult females, and 20 spaces for children and youth under the age of 19.

“Treatment will be tailored for different groups, including adults, young people, and even vulnerable categories such as pregnant women,” Dr Nyanga explained.

He also stated that mental health professionals would play a key role in the treatment process, helping patients manage addiction as a chronic condition while also supporting them after discharge.

Dr Nyanga added that families, friends and significant others would also benefit from counselling sessions, recognising the broader impact substance abuse had on households and communities.

“Reducing alcohol and substance use related harm requires a collective approach and the health sector is just one part of the solution as this centre will be an important part of that wider response,” he said.

The ministry further indicated that more centres might be rolled out in other regions, depending on the success of the Serowe facility.

For her part, Botswana Network of Mental Health, Psychological counselor, Ms Botlhe Moele stated that the opening of the country’s first dedicated drug and alcohol rehab centre was a big achievement in how the country was making efforts to respond to substance use.

“It will ensure that people do not have limited access to specialised care as it has been the case in the past since Botswana has been relying mostly in Sbrana Psychiatric Hospital and Jubilee Hospital,” she said.

Ms Moele further said the centre would also make an important start in addressing the gaps in substance abuse treatment.

Currently, most people struggling with alcohol and drug dependency had very limited resources in most cases, ending up in psychiatric hospitals that were not designed for long-term rehabilitation, Ms Moele said.

However, she said one facility alone could not meet the national demand but it set a strong foundation for expanding services.

“It also offers hope for improved well-being, stronger families and safer communities,” she said. ENDS