13 Oct 2025

 Private healthcare sector has been called to support government in building a resilient, inclusive and future-ready national health system.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ engagement session in Gaborone recently, Minister of Health, Dr Stephen Modise thanked the private sector leaders for their continued contribution and reaffirmed government’s commitment to forging a strong public-private partnership in health reform.

Dr Modise praised the private health sector for its solidarity and support during the national crisis.

“You stood shoulder to shoulder with government, opened doors, shared your resources, especially during COVID era,” he said.

He said it was in the same spirit that government was inviting the private sector to help shape Botswana’s health future, starting with the development of a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme.

He emphasised that government was reimagining the health sector not as a battleground between public and private interests, but as a platform for partnership in service of national wellbeing.

“A system where government and the private sector are not competitors, but partners in service to the nation,” he added.

He also indicated that the proposed NHI, expected to be tabled in Parliament in November, was central to government’s vision of achieving Universal Health Coverage (UHC).

“Through NHI, we aim to ensure that every Motswana, regardless of their income or background, has equitable access to quality, affordable and timely health services,” he explained.

He said beyond financing, NHI was envisioned as a broader reform tool to among others, introduce efficiency and fairness into the health system, stabilise and diversify healthcare funding, enable resource pooling and risk-sharing and leverage capacity across both sectors as well as promote equity and solidarity in service delivery

Dr Modise stressed that NHI would not be built by government alone, saying each component of the private health sector, be it hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, laboratories, specialists and medical aid societies, would have play a role.

“We want your voices, your ideas and your expertise to shape the National Health Insurance scheme,” he said.

He further urged all stakeholders to look beyond individual or sectoral interests and focus on the broader goal of transforming Botswana’s health system for the benefit of all citizens.

“We are not building for today only, but for future generations of Batswana. Access to adequate, timely healthcare services is a right and our collective responsibility is to ensure that every Motswana enjoys that right sustainably,” he said.

Dr Modise acknowledged that the health system was at a defining moment, grappling with longstanding structural challenges that had placed immense pressure on public healthcare facilities.

“The public health system, which carries the burden of care for the majority of Batswana, has been stretched for years. We see inefficiencies that have financially bled the Ministry of Health. We see fragmented funding mechanisms that limit sustainability. And we see, painfully, how ordinary citizens often struggle to access timely, quality health care,” he stated.

He highlighted the stark reality that the majority of Batswana cannot afford private healthcare, relying instead on a public system that was under growing strain.

He confirmed that additional consultations would follow and encouraged stakeholders to provide input during the policy development phase, which would go a long way in ensuring that a resilient, inclusive and equitable health system was built.

For his part, Business Botswana president, Mr Neo Nwako welcomed the decision to consult the private sector.

He noted that the private sector viewed the NHI as an opportunity to build a healthcare model that benefited both business and the community. ENDS