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RELOCATION OF PRIMARY HEALTHCARE SERVICES
In April 2025, primary healthcare services, including clinics and health posts, were relocated from the Ministry of Health to the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs.

Dr Nyanga described the move as a critical step toward bringing health services closer to communities and advancing Universal Health Coverage. ­­­

The relocation of Primary Health Care functions marks a significant milestone in Botswana’s health sector reform and decentralisation agenda.

NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE

The ministry also initiated stakeholder consultations, through kgotla meetings, council sessions and direct engagements with various stakeholders, on the introduction of a National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme, which aims to achieve Universal Health Coverage.

Dr Nyanga said the NHI would represent a­­­­ major transformation of Botswana’s health system, aiming to ensure equitable access to quality health care for all citizens, regardless of location or socio-economic status.

He said the ministry planned to table the NHI Bill before Parliament during the February 2026 sitting.

ESTABLISHMENT OF PEDIATRIC SURGICAL CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE

Dr Nyanga said the ministry, with support from Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) and funding from philanthropists Mr Steve Lansdown and Ms Margaret Lansdown, made significant strides in strengthening pediatric surgical care over the past 12 months. Two such centres were successfully completed at Princess Marina Hospital and Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital, marking a first for the country.

Both facilities are equipped with state-of-the-art, child-specific surgical infrastructure. At Princess Marina Hospital alone, more than 150 children have already received life-changing surgical procedures since the centre became operational in June 2025. As a result, waiting times for pediatric surgery have been drastically reduced.

Dr Nyanga noted, however, that shortages of specialised personnel such as pediatric anaesthetists and nurses remained a key challenge.

In partnership with KidsOR, the ministry is working to build a skilled workforce capable of delivering safe and continuous paediatric surgical care nationwide.

The initiative aims to improve access to safe, timely, and high-quality surgical services for children by establishing pediatric surgical centres of excellence in Botswana.

EXPANSION OF SAFE SURGICAL CAPACITY

To strengthen surgical resilience, Dr Nyanga said a Solar Surgery System is being implemented in 12 hospitals across the country. The initiative is designed to ensure that surgical services can continue uninterrupted during power outages.
He said the KidsOR project, supported by the Lansdowns, had delivered transformative change by reducing waiting times, improving theatre infrastructure, and introducing sustainable energy solutions. With Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital preparing for its official opening and training programmes progressing, Botswana is positioning itself as a regional leader in paediatric surgery in Southern Africa.

EYE CATARACT SURGERY CAMPAIGNS

Two cataract surgery campaigns conducted in 2025 at Selebi Phikwe Government Hospital and Scottish Livingstone Hospital restored sight to a total of 694 Batswana.

Dr N­­­yanga said many beneficiaries had been on waiting lists for a long time, making 2025 a life-changing year for them. He described the campaigns as a significant milestone in improving eye health and quality of life for hundreds of citizens.


MEDICAL DELIVERY DRONES

Government launched Botswana’s medical delivery drones, an innovative breakthrough that will transform the way is has been delivering healthcare across the nation. The initiative is designed to ensure that life-saving and essential medicines reach even the most remote and hard-to-access communities with speed, reliability, and precision.

The innovation, which was launched by President Advocate Duma Boko, aligns with government’s commitment to equitable healthcare, as no citizen should be denied timely access to critical treatment. 

Special education learners, who participated at the just ended National Special Olympics, deserves special recognition and appreciation for displaying a sterling performance.

The mayor of Francistown, Mr Gaone Majere said during the city’s full council meeting citing that the team returned home with an impressive total of 77 medals, a remarkable achievement that he added, spoke to their dedication, resilience and talent.

The team secured 34 gold medals, 29 silver medals, and 14 bronze medals, earning not only accolades but also the admiration of the nation of Botswana and ‘their performance is a testament to what can be accomplished when determination meets support and opportunity’, Mr Majere said.

While he acknowledged youth unemployment as one of the challenges in the city, he said the council had however committed itself to creating meaningful opportunities for the youth through the Tender Preference Scheme, under which a portion of procurement was reserved specifically for youth-owned enterprises.

Through the scheme, the council has awarded over P1 million to youth-owned companies out of P7,161,161.15 worth of tenders, representing 14.41 per cent of the total.

“We should, however, acknowledge that the pace of procurement has been slower than anticipated due to the current economic conditions we are experiencing,” added Mr Majere.

The house was also briefed that the council was more committed to harnessing solar energy across its institutions citing that the solar systems had now been installed and commissioned at Tagala and Lekgaba primary schools while installation works at Mahudiri and Phatsimo primary schools had also been completed and currently awaiting commissioning by the Botswana Power Corporation.

The next school scheduled in the programme of works, he said was Pelotshwana Primary School as all required materials had already been procured noting that the commencement of works at the school has been delayed due to the breakdown of the cherrypicker, a critical piece of equipment necessary for the successful execution of the project.

“This initiative is fully aligned with the government’s commitment to sustainable energy as articulated in the National Energy Policy, which promotes a transition from coal dependency to renewable energy sources. It is also well in alignment with the Sustainable Development Goal number 7, which is Affordable and Clean Energy,” he said.

He said the council would generate income from International Renewable Energy Credits and Carbon Credits as the government advances efforts for Botswana to participate meaningfully in the global carbon economy.

Furthermore, he said the city council had identified and prioritised different sectors, including tourism, manufacturing and the informal sector, among others, as engines for economic growth and development.

“Under the tourism sector, we have identified 17 heritage sites, which are currently being documented to create an informative heritage platter,” said Mr Majere.
In addition, he said the council would resuscitate the Francistown Educational Park to promote urban tourism, generate income and create employment opportunities in ancillary sectors such as hospitality, retail and transport.

The fencing of the park is almost complete and will be followed by restocking of the park.

The move is expected to position the city as a premier Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions destination as it has hosted several high-profile events, including the BTC Marathon, Batanani Walk, Miss Universe Botswana and Land Pitso, among others.

The city is also billed to host Tourism Pitso from January 29 to 30, while the City Tourism will be launched in Francistown on Saturday.

“These activities not only showcase our capacity and readiness to host major events but also contribute significantly to the local economy and the livelihoods of our residents.” 

The launch of island-wide special customs operations of Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) represents China’s clear-cut stance against protectionism and a major step toward promoting economic globalization, said Huang Hanquan, a Chinese economist.

Huang, head of the Chinese Academy of Macroeconomic Research, made the remarks during the latest episode of China Economic Roundtable, an all-media talk show hosted by Xinhua News Agency.

The Thursday launch marks a major milestone in the opening-up drive of the world’s second-largest economy. This move sends a tangible message to the world: China has made a significant decision to open up further, Huang said.

It also aims to set a benchmark for higher-level opening-up, inject new momentum into upholding multilateralism and free trade, and foster inclusive and universally beneficial economic globalization, according to Huang.

“It is a strategic move to align with high-standard international economic and trade rules and steadily expand institutional opening-up,” Huang noted. “This provides an important platform for China to better adapt to and utilize international economic and trade rules while actively participating in their formulation.”

Huang believes that China’s economy has transitioned from rapid growth to high-quality development and is now at a critical stage of transforming growth model, optimizing economic structure, and shifting growth drivers.

As a key testing ground for reform in China, Hainan shoulders the important mission of paving new paths and accumulating fresh experience for building a high-standard socialist market economy, particularly in key areas such as trade and investment, fiscal and financial systems, and government regulation, Huang added. 

The launch of National Research Agenda (NRA), marks a significant step toward building a dynamic research and innovation ecosystem in Botswana. Speaking at the launch, Minister of Communications and Innovation, Mr David Tshere, said the NRA signified the beginning of a strengthened national commitment to a knowledge-driven future anchored on science, technology, research, innovation and evidence-based decision-making, key pillars of national development.

Envisioning a transformed Botswana under NRA, Mr Tshere highlighted improved access to services such as remote learning and healthcare through universal connectivity.
He noted that the digital divide would be narrowed, enabling the development of smart communities while addressing unemployment and rural-urban migration.

“The Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) system is widely recognised as the backbone of modern economies around the world, and nations that invested early in research and innovation are now reaping the rewards of inclusive growth, higher productivity and resilience in the face of global shocks,” he said.

While Botswana has strong training and research institutions, supported by sound policies, the minister said the national STI system remained fragmented.

He cited low private-sector participation, inadequate research financing and limited coordination as challenges that had constrained the measurement of progress and socio-economic impact.

He explained that the NRA provided strategic direction by aligning national research efforts across eight priority areas: agriculture, digital economy, energy, environmental sustainability, health, manufacturing, social development and mineral beneficiation.

The agenda, he said, ensured that research responds to national priorities, global trends and community needs, while continuing to support curiosity-driven inquiry.

Mr Tshere further emphasised that the NRA identified critical capability gaps requiring urgent strengthening.

These include postgraduate training and talent retention, world-class research infrastructure and digital systems, cross-sector collaboration, sustainable and diversified research funding, as well as strong research standards, ethics and data protection frameworks.

“For Botswana to thrive in the next decade, we must ensure that our policies, strategies, programmes and actions are built on evidence rather than assumption,” he said, adding that the country aims to significantly increase investment in research and development (R&D).

He noted that while Africa targeted R&D spending of one per cent of GDP, and Botswana’s 2012 policy set a target of two pe rcent, the current government had committed to an ambitious three per cent of GDP.

As a first step toward this goal, he revealed that the National Research Fund, established in November 2024, was now operational, with a Research Fund Management Committee in place to steer solution-oriented research over the next three to four years.

“The ultimate goal is to transform Botswana from a consumer of knowledge into a producer of innovation,” Mr Tshere said. 

Evidence shows that red-light violations remain a major cause of accidents in Botswana, often resulting in long-term health challenges and high medical costs, President Advocate Duma Boko has revealed.

Speaking at the official launch of the Traffic Signal Modernisation and Centralised Traffic Control Centre (CTCC) for Gaborone and surrounding areas, President Boko hailed the facility as an intelligence platform that would shape transport policy and urban planning for decades to come.

President Boko stated that the launch demonstrated government’s commitment to improving public safety, transport efficiency and emergency preparedness.

“We have installed a unified command centre. It is the most significant investment in integrated traffic management and crisis response infrastructure in the history of our nation,” said President Boko.

He noted that the centre would provide critical information to support effective decision-making by law enforcement and the courts.

“This will ensure the quicker disposal of cases and offer invaluable data for experts involved in accident management,” he added.

He added that the CTCC was a cornerstone of future crisis management and highlighted its role as a central coordination hub for key stakeholders during emergencies.

“It will be the brain and heartbeat of our emergency response. It will assist in coordinating police, fire services, emergency medical services, public health authorities, and transport departments under one roof,” he said.

He emphasised that a well-coordinated response was vital during disasters to avoid the confusion, miscommunication and duplication of efforts that often put citizens at risk.

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, Mr Noah Salakae, said the ministry and the Botswana Police Service were currently finalising regulations that would govern the use of red-light and speed violation cameras for traffic enforcement.

Mr Salakae said the regulations were expected to take effect before end of the current financial year.

Through the project, government reaffirmed that land transport development remained a strategic priority, as outlined in the Botswana Economic Transformation Programme and National Development Plan 12.

The project is being executed under a Design, Build, Maintain, Operate and Transfer (DBMOT) contract at a total cost of P534,164,575.00.

Having commenced in November 2017 with a contract duration of 123 months, the project is scheduled for completion in February 2028.

Botswana is on high alert following the outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) in the Waterberg District in the Limpopo Province in South Africa.

According to a press release from Ministry of Lands and Agriculture, farmers and stakeholders particularly in districts bordering South Africa; Tsabong, Good Hope, Ramotswa, Tlokweng, Kgatleng and Mahalapye have been urged to be vigilant.

As a precautionary measure, the ministry has further called for observance of FMD preventative measures.

The measures, the release states are control movement of livestock by herding and kraaling especially at night and identifying all cattle by branding and BAITS ear tags.

The release further calls for any suspected signs of FMD in animals such as lameness, drooling (excessive salivation), ulcers in the mouth, muzzle and hooves be reported to the veterinary office or the Botswana Police Service.

In addition, the press release states that South African cattle livestock that have crossed into the country, Botswana livestock that have crossed into or livestock suspected to have returned from South Africa, vandalism of the disease control fence or illegal crossing at undesignated points, suspected illegal use of, or smuggling of FMD vaccine into Botswana be reported.