The World Health Organization (WHO) recently presented a report to Minister of Health Dr Stephen Modise, following a week-long assessment of the country’s National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS), conducted from 7–11 July 2025. The mission aimed to identify gaps and recommend actions to strengthen the safety, coordination, and sustainability of blood services.

WHO commended Botswana’s strong reliance on voluntary, non-remunerated blood donations (96% in 2023) and partnerships with stakeholders like Pledge 25 and the Botswana  Red Cross. The team also recognized the country’s use of electronic systems and participation in quality assurance programs. However, the assessment highlighted several critical challenges:
• A national blood policy still in draft since 2018.
• Fragmented coordination and unclear reporting structures.
• Inadequate infrastructure and outdated equipment.
• Lack of hospital transfusion committees and a national hemovigilance system.
• Outdated cost recovery framework.
• Underutilized data and limited monitoring of blood use.

WHO recommended finalizing the national policy, putting in place a national technical advisory committee on blood safety, establishing a centralized, well-coordinated blood system, updating clinical guidelines, and using mobile technology and public events to improve donor recruitment. The need for decentralizing blood collection, strengthening data systems, and formalizing cost recovery mechanisms was emphasized.

During the discussion, the Minister and stakeholders welcomed the findings, noting structural inefficiencies, high collection costs, and reliance on informal relationships for coordination. They agreed on the urgent need to define roles, improve communication, and use data for planning and advocacy, especially to highlight key beneficiaries like children with cancer and road accident victims.

WHO will submit a detailed report and implementation roadmap within a month, followed by a national stakeholder meeting for validation. The Ministry affirmed its commitment to acting on the recommendations to improve blood services across the country.