22 Oct 2026

President Advocate Boko has launched a 28-member Botswana End Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases Council to mobilise resources and strengthen national efforts to eliminate malaria and neglected tropical diseases.

Speaking at the launch in Tlokweng on October 22, President Boko said the Council would help mobilise domestic resources amid declining international donor funding, emphasising the need for African countries to take greater responsibility for financing their malaria elimination programmes.

He raised a concern over gaps in malaria prevention efforts, revealing that about 2 500 households could not be reached during spraying operations, while approximately 1 000 households in the North-West District refused indoor spraying in the first few months of the year.

He therefore, called on legislators to educate communities about the importance of cooperating with malaria elimination programmes.

He said every household missed during spraying operations created a gap in the country’s collective protection against malaria

He further said Botswana aspired to achieve World Health Organisation malaria-free certification during his first term, citing Cabo Verde, which received the certification in 2024, as an example the country could follow.

For his part, acting Minister of Health, Mr Lawrence Ookeditse, said malaria posed a threat to Botswana’s tourism sector and the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.

Already, he said Botswana recorded approximately 2 400 malaria cases and 16 deaths in 2025, reversing the progress made in previous years when cases had remained below 1 000 annually.

Consequently, he said the country’s rising malaria cases required urgent action, stronger partnerships and increased financial investment to achieve elimination by 2029. ENDS