GABORONE – The World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors approved the Botswana Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPRR) Project, which will support the strengthening of the country’s ability to withstand future pandemics, climate-related illnesses, and everyday health challenges. The project will help strengthen critical medicine supplies, accelerate detection of disease outbreaks, and make life-saving health data available in real time.
The project comes at a critical moment as Botswana faces overlapping threats from severe droughts, floods, and vulnerabilities exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. These shocks disrupt essential health services and risk reversing hard-won gains in human capital. The State of Public Health Emergency declared in August 2025, due to nationwide medicine shortages, further underscores the urgency of this investment.
“On behalf of the people of Botswana, we welcome this timely partnership with the World Bank,” said Dr. Stephen Modise, Minister of Health for Botswana. “This project responds directly to our urgent national priorities, from the state of public health emergency we declared to the systemic vulnerabilities revealed by the pandemic and climate shocks. It is not just a financial investment; it is a strategic commitment to our shared vision of a resilient, data-driven health system that leaves no Motswana behind.”
The project will provide support of $43 million ($40 million loan and $3 million grant) towards transformative investments with a strong focus on efficiency, equity, and resilience. It will advance Botswana’s digital transformation by rolling out an electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS) to track medical supplies in real time from central warehouses to remote health posts, helping to prevent shortages and ensure uninterrupted access to essential medicines. A new climate-resilient National Drug Quality Control Laboratory will be established to safeguard the quality and safety of all medicines, strengthening public trust and treatment outcomes.
“This project goes beyond crisis response. It is about building a more efficient, equitable health system that delivers quality care every day and withstands emergencies,” said Satu Kahkonen, World Bank Country Director for Botswana. “It is a strategic investment for Batswana and a vital step toward long-term resilience and sustainable growth.”
The project will also enhance disease surveillance and response capacity. Investments in the National Public Health Laboratory will enable faster and more accurate detection of infectious disease threats, while national and district Rapid Response Teams will be trained and deployed to respond swiftly to emerging health risks. The project will actively promote gender equality by supporting the inclusion of more women in leadership roles within emergency response structures. The HEPRR Project will be implemented by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority over a five-year period.
