03 Nov 2026

Botswana is intensifying efforts to improve early detection, diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, with the Ministry of Health prioritising patient navigation, decentralised diagnostic services and stronger referral systems to reduce delays in cancer care.

Ministry of Health permanent secretary, Dr Neo Tapela, stated Saturday in Gaborone, during the Pink and Powerful event organised as part of the Botswana Harvard Health Partnership’s celebration of 30 years of research, training and capacity building in Botswana.

Dr Tapela said the milestone offered an opportunity to celebrate the partnership’s achievements while renewing collective commitment to improving health outcomes. She commended BHP for dedicating its anniversary celebrations to cancer awareness, screening, healthy lifestyles and women’s wellbeing.

 “According to national cancer registry data and partner-supported research, breast cancer is Botswana’s second most common cancer among women after cervical cancer, with approximately 70 per cent of cases diagnosed at advanced stages III or IV,” she said.

Dr Tapela revealed that the median time between a patient’s first visit to a health facility and reaching specialist care could be approximately 160 days, highlighting significant gaps in diagnostic and referral pathways.

She said interventions included training nurses to conduct clinical breast examinations, decentralising fine needle aspiration services to primary healthcare facilities and strengthening referrals to bring diagnostic services closer to women.

Dr Tapela also emphasised patient navigation, citing a Botswana pilot programme that used appointment tracking, active follow-ups and referral coordination to reduce the time from screening to diagnosis to less than 60 days. 

Successful approaches should now be expanded across public oncology services, Dr Tapela said and called for reliable data and integration of breast and cervical cancer services into existing women’s health programmes, including HIV, reproductive health and antenatal care platforms.

She said improving survival required early detection, timely diagnosis and coordinated care to ensure no patient was left behind.

The event brought together healthcare professionals, researchers, cancer survivors and families to promote awareness, screening and healthier lifestyles and attendees were treated to pilates, health education and conversations about breast and cervical cancer including screening. ENDS