19 May 2026

The business community has been urged to work closely with grassroots health programmes in Botswana to promote health and wellness among citizens and the wider population. 

Speaking at the annual Sherwood Health and Wellness Day hosted by the District Multi-Sectoral AIDS Committee (DMSAC), RISE Project/Jhpiego programme and technical manager, Mr Goitseone Pampiri, said the country remained concerned about emerging cases of HIV, gender-based violence, mental health challenges and non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 

The annual Sherwood Health and Wellness Day, which includes a football tournament, is aimed at bringing essential services closer to farm workers in the Tuli Block farms.  It was organised through through the Lerala Village Multi-Sectoral AIDS Committee (VMSAC).

Mr Pampiri said health and wellness were important aspects of every individual’s life, adding that the outreach initiative sought to bridge the gap for people working and living in the Tuli Block farms. 

“It is my understanding that this event happens annually and that people living within the Tuli Block farms are disadvantaged by distance in seeking health and wellness services as they have to travel to Lerala,” he said. 

He said access to quality and affordable healthcare was a right that should be enjoyed by all citizens, adding that the event was helping to address disparities in access to healthcare services. 

“A lot still needs to be done because accessing health and wellness services cannot be a once-a-year activity. It has to be accessed regularly for one to live longer and maintain a healthy lifestyle,” Mr Pampiri said. 

He further said the country was looking forward to the proposed National Health Insurance Bill, which had the potential to revitalise the health sector and improve access to healthcare services for marginalised communities.

Mr Pampiri added that health and wellness encompassed several dimensions, including spiritual, social, emotional, financial, environmental and intellectual well-being. 

“We would like to appeal to the business community at grassroots and district level to come together through corporate social responsibility initiatives and address the unmet health and wellness needs in Palapye District. Those already supporting such initiatives, we applaud you,” he said. 

For her part, Lerala VMSAC chairperson Ms Grace Molatlhegi said interest and cooperation from farm owners and employees had grown significantly over the years, creating a valuable platform to improve service delivery and the well-being of farm communities. 

“We need to encourage one another to seek early medical intervention and routine screenings and testing for illnesses such as HIV, breast, cervical and prostate cancers,” she said. 

Ms Molatlhegi said the health and wellness day was preceded by an HIV testing campaign conducted across farms. 

“Our concern is that some farms remain inaccessible because gates are locked, preventing us from reaching workers and communities with services,” she said. She said organising the event required significant effort, which was further complicated by limited government funding.

“Moving forward, we need to find quicker ways of bringing essential health and wellness services to farm communities, perhaps every quarter, because annual outreach is no longer practical,” she said. 

Various health and wellness service providers attended the event, including private sector companies such as Mascom Wireless, Orange Botswana, Access Bank Botswana, Absa Bank Botswana and Stepping Stones International, as well as government departments including the Botswana Police Service and Botswana Unified Revenue Service.ends