Botswana Ministry of Health overhauls hospitals to cut backlogs

Botswana is force-resetting public healthcare, taking over hospitals, moving services, killing surgical backlogs, and locking down medicine supplies.

Public health system reset

• The Ministry of Health launched an emergency overhaul of referral hospitals.
• Pressure from overcrowding and safety risks triggered the intervention.
• Leadership framed this as recovery, not patchwork fixes.
• National plans are driving timelines and accountability.

Hospital takeover and decongestion

• The Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital will become fully public by April 1, 2026.
• The phased takeover begins immediately under government control.
• The goal is easing strain at Princess Marina Hospital.
• Bed shortages and theatre bottlenecks pushed surgical delays.

Service relocation and backlogs

• The Ministry of Health starts moving emergency and specialist services from early February.
• Accident care, dialysis, imaging, and select surgeries shift to SKMTH.
• Orthopaedic cases at PMH hit 70 patients, mostly fractures.
• Bed capacity jumps from 66 to 106, enabling ten daily operations.

Diagnostics and medicine supply

• The Stephen Modise confirmed temporary lab outsourcing due to equipment failures.
• Mobile X-ray units reached Bobonong, Pandamatenga, and Gumare.
• Over 338 essential medicines were secured from the United Arab Emirates.
• HIV, TB, and cancer drugs are covered for at least twelve months.