President Duma Boko claimed that the government’s supply chain collapsed as a result of steep cuts in aid from the United States and a depleted government budget.
The Ministry of Health and Wellness earlier this month warned the system was “severely strained” with $ 75 million owed to private health facilities and suppliers, making the announcement on Monday.
It cited a lack of medications for a variety of illnesses, including those caused by hypertension, cancer, diabetes, tuberculosis, asthma, mental and sexual health, and said elective surgeries were delayed.
Additionally, the Health Ministry reported a lack of dressings and sutures.
In a televised address on Monday, President Boko declared that “the medical supply chain, as run by central medical stores, has failed.” “This failure has severely impacted the availability of health supplies throughout the country.”
According to Boko, the ministry of finance had previously approved 250 million pula ($18.7 million) in emergency procurement funding. The military would handle the distribution of emergency medicines, with priority given to rural deprived areas.
“Medical prices are frequently inflated five to ten times,” according to the article. This scenario is not sustainable in the current economic climate, Boko continued.
The global diamond market’s ongoing decline is also related to the shrinking national budget.
One of the largest diamond producers in the world is Botswana, which has a population of 2.5 million. About 80% of the nation’s foreign earnings come from its vast diamond reserves, which were discovered shortly after it gained independence from Britain in 1966.
However, recent sales declines have caused a cash-strapped government to suspend some ministerial purchases last month.
Under President Donald Trump, drastic cuts in US aid have strained the economy even more. UNAIDS reported that the US provided $ 12 million through The Global Fund to combat malaria and tuberculosis prior to funding a third of Botswana’s HIV response.
Source: Aljazeera
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