10 Jun 2026

President Advocate Duma Boko has commended the Botswana Harvard Partnership (BHP) for elevating Botswana’s profile in scientific research and development, describing the institution as a key contributor to the country’s growing presence in the global knowledge economy.

The President, who received BHP delegation during a courtesy call at the Office of the President on Tuesday, noted BHP’s contribution to the discovery of the Omicron COVID-19 variant of SARS-CoV-2 in 2021, which helped shape global preparedness and intervention strategies during the pandemic.

The achievement, he said demonstrated that Botswana was not merely a consumer of knowledge but an active contributor to scientific advancement.

“What it indicated to us is that in this knowledge economy, we are not coming as mere consumers. We are grateful for raising our profile in that manner,” he said, describing BHP as a storehouse of knowledge

Despite these achievements, President Boko noted that Botswana continued to face emerging public health challenges, particularly cancer, including cervical cancer, where prevention efforts remained inadequate.

Therefore, he urged BHP to play a more visible and vocal role in raising awareness among leaders and the public, saying government systems were often large and sometimes ineffective in responding swiftly to challenges.

As a result, he said voices from outside government were essential in highlighting issues requiring urgent attention.

On the issue of funding, President Boko said dependence on international donors remained a challenge for many African institutions.

“When one is dependent on external funding, they are at the mercy of those who provide it,” he said, stressing the need to develop sustainable domestic funding mechanisms.

The President also encouraged BHP to widely publish and share its research findings, noting that numerous studies conducted during the peak of the HIV/AIDS epidemic had not been sufficiently disseminated.

Reiterating President Boko’s comments on BHP’s significant role in the research field, BHP Executive Director, Dr Gaerolwe Masheto, noted that BHP had contributed to many of Botswana’s major public health milestones, particularly in HIV prevention, treatment, care and policy development, as well as in tuberculosis, maternal and child health and cancer research.

He said the organisation had grown into a globally respected institution that had contributed significantly to Botswana’s public health achievements and international reputation.

He said BHP currently employed approximately 300 full-time staff members and was managing 90 active research studies and capacity-building grants across key sites in Gaborone, Molepolole and Francistown.

Dr Masheto said competitive grants constituted the largest share of the institution›s funding, averaging about US$10 million annually.

“This is therefore an inward capital influx into Botswana per year for the various projects being undertaken by BHP,” he said.

Dr Masheto also invited President Boko to serve as guest of honour at BHP’s 30th anniversary gala dinner in November and to visit Harvard University in September  to explore opportunities for expanded collaboration beyond the existing partnership.

Established in 1996 through a strategic partnership between the government and Harvard University at the height of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, BHP is a non-profit institution dedicated to advancing research, training and public health outcomes. ENDS