The President of Botswana Douma Boko announced a general health emergency on Monday, stressing that the national medical supplies chain had collapsed, which led to a severe shortage of medicines and vital supplies inside hospitals and clinics across the country.
Boko said in a television speech that the army will supervise an emergency distribution campaign, provided that the first trucks from the capital Gaburon will start towards remote areas by this evening.
The Ministry of Health had warned in early August against the depletion of medicines and medical supplies due to unlimited financial challenges, and announced the postponement of all unclear surgeries.
The president added, “The medical supply chain that is managed through the central stores has failed. This failure led to a severe disturbance in providing health supplies worldwide,” the president added.
He pointed out that the Ministry of Finance agreed to allocate 250 million Paula (equivalent to 17.35 million dollars) as an emergency financing for the purchase of medicines and supplies.
The Botswana budget faces great pressure this year, as a result of the prolonged decline in the global diamond market, as the country is the largest product of diamonds in terms of value.
The administration of US President Donald Trump has also reduced funding for supporting the health sector in Botswana, without the government explaining whether this has contributed to the exacerbation of the crisis.
Boko explained that the prices of buying medical supplies by the government were “exaggerated”, and that the current distribution systems cause losses, waste and damage.
In a statement issued on August 4, the Ministry of Health revealed that it is a city with a billion Paula (about 69.4 million US dollars) for private health facilities and suppliers, which exacerbated financial challenges.
The ministry stated that drugs for high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, eye diseases, asthma, reproductive health, and mental health are all about to exist, as well as a lack of bandages and surgical strings.