The Botswana Network on Ethics, Law and HIV/AIDS (BONELA) has warned of a deepening crisis in the supply of essential medicines, affecting multiple districts across the country.
Recent data, compiled from sampled health facilities as of 27 October, reveals severe shortages of critical antiretroviral (ARV) drugs, tuberculosis (TB) medications, and key treatments for sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
According to BONELA, districts including Kgatleng, Kweneng East, Tlokweng, Palapye, and Okavango are among the hardest hit. Health facilities report stock-outs of dual therapy ARVs, Taf-ED, TVD, 3TC, and continuation-phase TB drugs. Key STI treatments, such as injectable ceftriaxone and benzathine penicillin, are also in critically low supply.
In some clinics, patients are being given only seven-day ARV refills due to rationing measures, while others, such as Letlhakeng Clinic, have completely run out of stock.
In some clinics, patients are being given only seven-day ARV refills due to rationing measures, while others, such as Letlhakeng Clinic, have completely run out of stock. Reports indicate that Truvada is unavailable in both Tlokweng and Kgatleng, raising concerns about potential interruptions to HIV prevention programs.
“These shortages threaten not only individual patient health but also the progress Botswana has made in controlling HIV and TB,” BONELA stated in its report. The organization warned that treatment interruptions can lead to drug resistance, higher infection rates, and increased morbidity and mortality.
BONELA is urging the government to take immediate action to address systemic supply chain weaknesses and ensure uninterrupted access to life-saving medications.
“Ensuring a reliable supply of essential medicines is a matter of both public health and human rights. Botswana must act urgently to protect its citizens and safeguard the gains achieved over decades of HIV and TB interventions,” the statement read.
