09 Nov 2026

Botswana is stepping up efforts to strengthen its healthcare supply chain through international partnerships and investment in local pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Addressing the State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA) in Gaborone on November 9, President Advocate Duma Boko said government, through the Botswana Development Corporation (BDC), was making a strategic investment of up to P85 million to acquire and revive a local pharmaceutical manufacturer.

He said the company was Botswana’s only producer of beta-lactam antibiotics, making its revival strategically important in strengthening local medicine production and reducing dependence on imported pharmaceutical products.

President Boko also reported progress in the local production of antiretroviral medicines, with Portfolio Pharmaceuticals having manufactured its first batch locally.

He said the company was currently working with the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BoMRA) to complete regulatory processes before the medicines could be supplied for use.

Meanwhile, President Boko reported significant progress under a cooperation agreement with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), revealing that 86 per cent of medical supplies procured under a 10-year government-to-government partnership had already been delivered.

Furthermore, he said 60 per cent of Botswana’s entire 2027 medical supplies order was expected to be delivered by the end of December.

He said the arrangement was expected to improve the security of medical supplies and ensure more reliable availability of essential medicines as the country entered 2027.

“We also secured a free supply of medical equipment through the partnership. The equipment is expected to start arriving at health facilities across the country from next month,” he said.

President Boko said the additional equipment was expected to significantly reduce waiting times for diagnostic tests and improve access to healthcare services.

To improve medicine management, he said government was also digitalising the Central Medical Stores through partnerships.

The initiative aimed to improve visibility, management and traceability of medicines across the supply chain, reduce wastage and stock-outs, and strengthen controls against diversion and theft.

President Boko said the interventions formed part of broader efforts to strengthen the country’s healthcare system, improve medicine availability and build local pharmaceutical manufacturing capacity. ENDS