World Bank Funds Botswana’s Real-Time, Climate-Resilient Health System With $43M

“On behalf of the people of Botswana, we welcome this timely partnership with the World Bank,” said Dr. Stephen Modise, Botswana’s Minister of Health.

The World Bank has approved a US$43 million Health Emergency Preparedness, Response and Resilience (HEPRR) Project for Botswana, marking a major push to modernize the country’s health system with real-time data, digital supply chains, and climate-resilient infrastructure.

Approved by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors, the project is designed to help Botswana withstand future pandemics, climate-related health threats, and everyday system shocks—while fixing vulnerabilities laid bare by COVID-19, extreme weather events, and ongoing medicine shortages.

The timing is critical. Botswana is grappling with severe droughts, floods, and supply-chain disruptions, and in August 2025 declared a State of Public Health Emergency due to nationwide medicine shortages. These overlapping crises threaten essential health services and risk reversing years of progress in human capital.

“On behalf of the people of Botswana, we welcome this timely partnership with the World Bank,” said Dr. Stephen Modise, Botswana’s Minister of Health. “This project responds directly to our urgent national priorities. It is not just a financial investment—it is a strategic commitment to a resilient, data-driven health system that leaves no Motswana behind.”

A Digital Backbone for Health Resilience

At the core of the project is Botswana’s accelerated digital health transformation. The HEPRR Project will roll out an electronic Logistics Management Information System (eLMIS)—a real-time platform that tracks medical supplies from central warehouses to the most remote health posts. For the first time, decision-makers will have live visibility into stock levels, enabling predictive restocking, faster response, and prevention of life-threatening shortages.

The project will also establish a climate-resilient National Drug Quality Control Laboratory, strengthening medicine safety, improving treatment outcomes, and restoring public trust. Built to withstand climate shocks, the lab reflects a growing shift toward resilient health infrastructure across Africa.

“This project goes beyond crisis response,” said Satu Kahkonen, World Bank Country Director for Botswana. “It is about building a more efficient, equitable health system that delivers quality care every day and withstands emergencies.”

Faster Detection, Smarter Response

Beyond supply chains, the project significantly upgrades disease surveillance and outbreak response. Investments in the National Public Health Laboratory will enable faster, more accurate detection of infectious threats, while national and district Rapid Response Teams will be trained and deployed to act quickly as new risks emerge.

The initiative also embeds gender equity into emergency preparedness, supporting greater participation of women in leadership roles within response structures—an area increasingly linked to stronger health outcomes and governance.

Why It Matters for Health Tech Innovators

With US$40 million in financing and US$3 million in grant support, the HEPRR Project positions Botswana as a testbed for digital health logistics, real-time health data systems, and climate-resilient health infrastructure. For health-tech developers, data platforms, and supply-chain innovators, the project signals growing demand for scalable, interoperable solutions in African health systems.

Implemented over five years by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority, the project underscores a broader shift: resilience is no longer just about emergency response—it’s about building smart, connected systems that work every day and don’t collapse under pressure.