Botswana Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in botswana, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals
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Medical Equipment and Pharmaceuticals
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Botswana’s healthcare sector is a key focus of the country’s economic diversification plans, with modernization and infrastructure development prioritized by the government.  In his FY 2025/2026 budget speech, the Vice President highlighted the need to upgrade healthcare, education, and housing infrastructure, particularly in rural and remote areas, to unlock economic opportunities.  Despite improvements in Botswana’s Global Health Index ranking from 138 to 108 out of 195 countries, the country lags lower-income African nations, reflecting gaps between healthcare needs and system capacity.

The healthcare sector faces significant challenges, including outdated management systems, poorly maintained infrastructure, shortages of essential medicines, inadequate staffing, and financial strain caused by delayed government payments to private medical facilities and suppliers.  To address these issues, the government has transferred primary healthcare responsibilities to the Ministry of Local Government and Traditional Affairs, allocating $34 million (492 million pula) to improve service delivery at the local level.  Additionally, Botswana is establishing the Botswana Public Health Institute (BPHI) to strengthen public health preparedness and pandemic response.

The U.S. government has played a critical role in supporting Botswana’s healthcare system.  In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) leveraged PEPFAR funding to enhance the National Health Laboratory, including the construction of a biosafety level 2 multi-story facility as part of the BPHI.  On August 28, 2025, 28 health workers graduated from a yearlong in-service training program sponsored by the U.S. government.

Botswana lacks pharmaceutical production capacity, relying on domestic companies to import and package bulk drugs.  However, the government continues to invest in healthcare infrastructure, such as the Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH), a state-of-the-art 450-bed facility completed in 2014.  SKMTH has introduced specialized services, including Uterine Fibroid Embolization (UFE) in August 2025, and is undergoing strategic reforms to improve access to specialist care in alignment with Botswana’s Universal Health Coverage agenda.  These reforms include realigning funding and revising tariffs to enhance affordability for patients referred to from public health facilities.  The government also plans to establish a mandatory national health insurance scheme as part of its long-term health strategy.

In 2024, the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) partnered with Botswana’s Ministry of Health (MoH) and local stakeholders to develop an enterprise architecture (EA) integrating health services IT infrastructure and operations.  This initiative aims to improve healthcare delivery, optimize resource use, and enhance patient outcomes while supporting Botswana’s digital transformation.  The EA is designed to transform primary healthcare services by 2030 and lay the foundation for innovations such as telemedicine, aligning with the government’s goal to reduce reliance on costly tertiary services.

Botswana’s healthcare sector is undergoing significant reforms and investments, creating opportunities for partnerships, innovation, and infrastructure development to address systemic challenges and improve health outcomes.

Sub-sector Best Prospects 

Botswana offers strong prospects in the healthcare sector, particularly in medical technology and surgical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and supportive healthcare services for the treatment of HIV/AIDS and related infections.  Opportunities also exist in training for health services, including commodity planning, logistics, and supply chain management, as well as investments in telemedicine and e-health services.  Additionally, the manufacturing of PPE and hospital consumables presents significant potential for growth and development.

Opportunities 

Botswana’s government is prioritizing healthcare infrastructure development as part of its broader infrastructure plans.  Key initiatives include upgrading hospitals and medical facilities, increasing local pharmaceutical production to address medicine shortages and reducing reliance on imports, and investing in the local manufacturing of medical equipment, imaging, and laboratory diagnostic facilities.  The government is also focusing on developing medical tourism infrastructure to attract patients from neighboring countries, as Botswana currently refers some patients to South Africa for specialized services.  Coordination with the MOH is recommended to identify specific challenges and areas of need.

Additional opportunities exist in training healthcare personnel, particularly in areas such as commodity planning, forecasting, logistics, and supply chain management.  All public referral, district, and primary hospitals have been connected to a network aimed at improving quality, safety, timeliness, and efficiency, creating significant potential for investment in e-health services and products.

Resources:

  • Botswana Ministry of Health
  • Botswana Ministry of Trade and Entrepreneurship
  • Botswana Unified Revenue Service (BURS), Customs and Excise Division
     

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