In order to promote diversification and employment creation, the Government of Botswana created in 2008 a unique combination of sector clusters called Hubs.  Amongst these, is the Health Hub, which is a focused function within the Ministry of Health that identifies strategic initiatives and innovations to drive sustainable transformation and service delivery improvement throughout the health sector.

The functional principles of the Health Hub:

-          Ensure efficiency in service delivery and offer quality services

-          Enhance service delivery through strategic partnerships (PPP) and outsourcing selected services

-          Establishing clinical and research centres of excellence that can serve both the region and international clients

-          Promote “Medical Tourism” to cater for local, regional and international health care needs.

-          To identify ways in which the delivery of high quality health services can contribute to economic diversification and employment creation.

-          To establish clinical and research centres of excellence in Botswana that can service SADC and international clients

-          To stimulate focused initiatives that have a direct impact on the efficiency and quality of public healthcare in Botswana.

-          The core drivers of the Health Hub are aimed at ensuring that the VISION outcomes are always achieved.

Key activities aligned to specific hub initiatives

Possible Priority Areas for Botswana

·         Centre of excellence for cancer treatment

·         High quality facility for orthopaedic services

·         Modern treatment facilities including surgery for cardio-vascular diseases

·         Organ transplant services

·         Neurological treatment facilities

·         Pharmaceutical industry

·         High quality diagnostic facilities (imaging and laboratory)

Areas for possible Investment

·         Specialised medical services (areas of cardiac surgery-heart, ophthalmology-eyes, nephrology-kidneys and orthopaedics-bones).  The investors can set up clinics in any of these areas within a hospital environment to enable easy follow-up and monitoring.  Patients with some of these conditions are currently referred to South Africa.  Space could be leased in the hospital environment.

·         Diagnostic facilities (Imaging and laboratory) a significant number of samples for diagnostic and laboratory analysis are referred to South Africa and the turn-around time to receive results is a concern (candidate for PPP/Joint venture- BDC)

·         Pharmaceutical manufacturing industries; manufacturing or packaging of drugs and related medicines- Botswana imports a large volume of the drugs currently in use.  Local production will not only serve Botswana but the region.  Candidate for Joint venture/PPP with BDC.

·         Educational exchange programmes/training facilities – training facilities for health professionals are in high demand (candidate for joint venture/PPP)

·         Medical tourism – creation of centres of excellence:

*    hotels and rehabilitation services-Botswana can attract tourists if the environment is right for relaxation, pleasure and recuperation after hospitalization.  The opportunity exists to build such facilities in partnership with the local private sector or government subsidiaries such as Botswana Development Corporation.

*Specialist clinical care services.

We aim to make Botswana a cost-effective destination of choice where people can access medical services competitively.

Contact:

Gabolekwe Lesole Tlogelang

Coordinator, Health Hub

Ministry of Health

Tel: +267 3632689