26 Feb 2026

Health Minister, Dr Stephen Modise has hailed the 2026/27 budget for its commitment to funding the primary healthcare agenda.

Debating the budget in Parliament Tuesday, Dr Modise described the allocation as a pivotal turning point and a lifeline that will elevate health systems to new heights. He stated that funding would address the chronic shortage of medicinal supplies that had long denied patients timely care. 

He emphasised that procurement and supply chains would be fortified through strategic partnerships. Furthermore, he noted that the budget would enable the ministry to ensure that antibiotics and medicines for chronic illnesses were consistently available.

Reflecting on the progress made since the state of public health emergency was declared in August 2025, Dr Modise noted that drug availability had risen from 17 per cent to over 60 per cent as of late January this year. He described the budget as a tool for economic diversification and human capital development, charting a course toward a sustainable future. 

On the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme (BETP), the minister said the initiative was intended to breathe life into the economy, reducing the nation’s historical dependence on a single resource. He expressed confidence that through the budget, the country was poised to recover and thrive.

“The budget gives confidence that every Motswana stands to share in the dividends of progress,” he said. 

Dr Modise also said government would continue purchasing medicines from abroad through pooled procurement, effectively removing the middlemen from the Ministry of Health transactions. 

“Middlemen must give way to real manufacturing,” he said, adding that local pharmaceutical production was expected to rise. He also applauded the Minister of Finance for centralising Government Purchase Orders (GPOs) to curb non-essential spending. 

“This move has reportedly saved a whopping P556 million from a pre-centralisation budget that exceeded P1.4 billion per month,” he said. 

He welcomed further reforms, including the modernisation of tax administration, electronic invoicing and advanced e-procurement to combat corruption. 

For her part, Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly and MP for Mmopane/Metsimotlhabe, Ms Helen Manyeneng, called for an increase in the education budget. Ms Manyeneng highlighted a plethora of problems in the sector, including declining learner performance, dilapidated buildings, inadequate classrooms and low teacher morale. 

She also expressed concern that the Bula Buka transformative initiative, aimed at empowering out-of-school youth, would not yield significant results under the current budget constraints. She also proposed that learners be held accountable for the vandalism of school property and expressed optimism regarding the permanent absorption of temporary teachers.

Regarding health, she urged Batswana to remain patient while supply issues were resolved and suggested resuscitating preventative measures, such as the use of family welfare educators.

“Fully-fledged research units are also important to find valuable solutions for common illnesses,” she added.

Gamalete MP, Mr Boniface Mabeo, appreciated the planned water supply projects and property valuation consultancy in his constituency. However, Mr Mabeo called on government to address the grievances of employees at Gamalete Lutheran Hospital and St. Conrad’s, who had been excluded from housing upkeep allowances. 

He argued that the financial responsibility for such institutions should not rest solely on the churches that built them. He also questioned the feasibility of the 186 projects under the BETP, suggesting that government should focus on five high-impact and doable projects. He further stressed the need for oversight institutions to remain fully independent to effectively fight corruption. 

Specially Elected MP, Major General Pius Mokgware, described the budget as comprehensive, goal-oriented and well-timed. Maj. Gen. Mokgware reminded Parliament that the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)-led government inherited a distressed economy and should not be blamed for the current fiscal strain.

“It is the first time we are having a budget that comes without any significant contribution of revenue from diamonds,” he noted, highlighting the shift in the nation’s economic landscape. 

He also welcomed the large share of the budget allocated to the Office of the President for security initiatives and defended the Bonno Housing Programme, noting it was implemented through development partners rather than reckless spending. BOPA