"Botswana has declared a public health emergency, with President Duma Boko saying the national medical supply chain collapsed due to depleted government coffers and steep cuts in aid from the United States. The announcement came on Monday after the Ministry of Health and Wellness warned earlier this month that the system was severely strained with $75m owed to private health facilities and suppliers."
"The Ministry of Finance had earlier approved 250 million pula ($18.7m) in emergency funding for procurement, said Boko, adding that the military would oversee the distribution of emergency medicines, with the first shipments dispatching immediately from the capital, Gaborone, with priority given to deprived rural areas. The current prices [for medicine] often are inflated five to 10 times. Under the current economic conditions, this scenario is not sustainable, Boko added."
Botswana declared a public health emergency after its national medical supply chain collapsed due to depleted government coffers and steep cuts in US aid. The Ministry of Health warned of severe strain with $75m owed to private health facilities and suppliers. Shortages affect medicines for hypertension, cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, mental and sexual health; dressings and sutures are also scarce and elective surgeries were postponed. The Ministry of Finance approved 250 million pula for emergency procurement and the military will oversee distribution prioritizing deprived rural areas. The crisis is worsened by inflated medicine prices and a downturn in the diamond market reducing government revenue.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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