Botswana News

Botswana has taken a significant step towards strengthening evidence-informed health policymaking through the launch of the Botswana Data-to-Policy (D2P) Capacity Strengthening Initiative, a collaborative effort led by the Ministry of Health's Health Research and Development Division with support from Vital Strategies, Bloomberg Philanthropies' Data for Health Initiative, and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Botswana has taken an important step towards evidence-based health workforce planning through the successful implementation of a five-day Workload Indicators of Staffing Need (WISN) technical mission from 15-19 June 2026. Convened by the Ministry of Health, Department of Human Resources and Administration with technical support from the World Health Organization (WHO), the workshop brought together national, district, and facility-level stakeholders to improve the quality, analysis, and use of health workforce data.

Since October 2023, WHO has issued several Global Medical Product Alerts concerning oral liquid medicines contaminated with ethylene glycol (EG) and/or diethylene glycol (DEG). These incidents have been associated with the deaths of more than 300 children worldwide.

Gaborone, 17 March 2026 – The Botswana Pandemic Fund project Technical Working Group (TWG) convened to review implementation progress, financial performance, and coordination among partners supporting national pandemic preparedness and response efforts.

In a major milestone for Botswana’s digital health and emergency preparedness agenda, the World Health Organization (WHO) Botswana Country Office officially handed over two WHO‑supported E‑learning Hubs to the Ministry of Health (MoH) in February 2026, marking a significant achievement for the first quarter of the year.

Jwaneng—Health leaders and polio experts from Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Namibia, and South Africa convened in Jwaneng for the 25th Inter‑Country Certification Committee (ICCC) meeting, reinforcing regional solidarity and shared responsibility to sustain a polio‑free Africa.

Over the course of three days, participants reviewed progress, assessed remaining risks and agreed on priority actions to strengthen cross‑border collaboration, routine immunization and disease surveillance, against the backdrop of a shifting global polio landscape.

Gaborone—Eight Southern African countries – Botswana, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe are joining forces to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks before they spread to communities.

Palapye—Botswana has taken a decisive step in its fight against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) with the official signing of the National AMR Action Plan during the World Antimicrobial Awareness Week (WAAW) commemoration held in Palapye. The event showcased a unified national commitment to protect public health, animal health, and the environment through a strengthened One Health approach.

A milestone endorsed across government

Gaborone—The World Health Organization (WHO) Botswana, in collaboration with the Botswana Public Health Institute (BPHI), organized a one‑week workshop on the validation and costing of Botswana’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS), and development of NAPHS narrative that will be signed by One Health sectors during the launch, marking a critical milestone in the country’s efforts to strengthen national and global health security.