The 5 Plus 1 Cooperating Unions express grave concern and deep disappointment over the continued deterioration of Botswana’s public health system under the leadership of the Minister of Health, Dr. Stephen Modise. The situation has reached a crisis point; marked by preventable deaths, worsening medicine shortages, rising medical complications, and a growing loss of public trust in the health sector.

Despite the tireless efforts and dedication of healthcare workers, the system remains overwhelmed by severe manpower shortages, persistent stockouts of essential medicines, and prolonged leadership vacancies in key health facilities. The morale of health professionals continues to decline as they struggle to serve patients under increasingly difficult conditions, with little institutional support or strategic direction.

The ongoing shortage of essential medicines, even after the declaration of a 21-day State of Public Health Emergency, has exposed the Ministry’s inability to act decisively and effectively. Patients continue to suffer and, in some cases, die unnecessarily due to the unavailability of life-saving drugs. These shortages have disrupted treatment regimens, increased the risk of drug resistance, and further undermined confidence in the healthcare system.

The Minister’s recent statement that “Kasane had so many medicines that it loaned some to Zimbabwe” was both careless and offensive to citizens who have endured months of suffering. Such remarks trivialize the pain of Batswana and reflect a worrying disconnect between leadership and the lived realities of patients and healthcare workers.

It is equally troubling that government continues to celebrate marginal progress, such as an increase in medicine availability from 17% to 36%, as if it were a major victory. These statistics cannot mask the truth: the Central Medical Stores (CMS) remains the weakest link in the supply chain, plagued by inefficiency, poor management, and a chronic lack of accountability. Even the Minister’s own admission that medicines “sat in warehouses while patients went without” confirms that this crisis stems not from global shortages, but from local administrative neglect and systemic failure.

The 5 Plus 1 Cooperating Unions maintain that the real crisis lies in maladministration, red tape, and ineffective procurement and supply chain processes; all of which fall squarely under the Minister’s oversight. As the political head of the Ministry, Dr. Modise cannot deflect responsibility to subordinates or institutions like CMS. He must ensure that systems function, that managers are held accountable, and that the public is informed transparently about corrective actions and the way forward.

Declaring a State of Public Health Emergency was a diversion from addressing the root causes of the crisis. A functional and transparent procurement system should not depend on emergency powers to work. Instead of instituting lasting reforms, the Ministry has resorted to short-term fixes and public relations exercises that do little to resolve the suffering of patients or the demoralization of healthcare workers.

Furthermore, the continued leadership vacuum in major facilities, despite completed recruitment processes, has eroded supervision, accountability, and service delivery. Without decisive leadership, the health sector remains directionless and unstable.

The 5 Plus 1 Cooperating Unions condemn the continued lack of foresight, accountability, and political will within the Ministry of Health. The current crisis is not only a logistical or administrative failure, but a profound moral one. It has endangered lives, eroded public trust, and undermined the dignity of the nation’s health workers.

Considering these persistent failures, the 5 Plus 1 Cooperating Unions call upon His Excellency the President to urgently remove or reassign Dr. Stephen Modise as Minister of Health. After months of worsening medicine shortages, unfilled leadership posts, and absence of a coherent recovery strategy, it is evident that his continued tenure has deepened the crisis rather than resolved it. Botswana cannot afford to normalize inefficiency and mediocrity in matters that affect the lives of its people.

Restoring stability, accountability, and public confidence in the health system requires decisive change at the highest level; starting with new leadership that prioritizes transparency, competence, and the health and dignity of all Batswana.

Thank you,

Yours in Struggle