The World Bank has approved a US$43 million project to strengthen Botswana’s health system, targeting persistent shortages of essential medicines, improving epidemic preparedness and expanding the use of digital tools to monitor health supplies and data in real time.
The project, known as the Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPRR) programme, was approved by the World Bank’s Board of Directors and will run for five years. It is designed to bolster Botswana’s ability to respond to public health emergencies while addressing long-standing weaknesses in routine healthcare delivery.
Botswana, a southern African country of about 2.6 million people, declared a public health emergency in August 2025 after widespread shortages of essential medicines disrupted treatment for conditions including hypertension, diabetes, cancer and tuberculosis. The shortages exposed vulnerabilities in procurement, supply chains and health system planning, according to health officials.
The HEPRR project aims to secure reliable supplies of essential medicines, strengthen systems for early detection of disease outbreaks and provide health authorities with real-time access to critical data to support faster and more effective decision-making.
A central feature of the programme is the deployment of an electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS), which will digitally track medical supplies from central warehouses to health facilities across the country. The system is expected to help authorities monitor stock levels, anticipate shortages and reduce disruptions in the delivery of medicines, particularly to remote and underserved areas.
The World Bank said the project would also support investments focused on efficiency, equity and long-term system resilience, as Botswana faces growing health risks linked to climate change, including droughts and floods that have disrupted health service delivery in recent years.
“This project responds directly to our urgent national priorities,” Botswana’s Minister of Health, Stephen Modise, said in a statement. “It is not just a financial investment, but a strategic commitment to our shared vision of a resilient, data-driven health system that leaves no Motswana behind.”
Health experts say Botswana’s challenges reflect broader pressures facing many African health systems, where supply chain disruptions, rising non-communicable diseases and climate-related shocks have strained limited resources. While Botswana has long been praised for its response to HIV/AIDS and relatively strong public health institutions, recent shortages have highlighted gaps in procurement and logistics.
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Under the HEPRR programme, Botswana will also strengthen its capacity to prepare for and respond to future epidemics, including zoonotic and climate-sensitive diseases. The project will support faster outbreak detection and response, building on lessons from recent global health crises.
