22 January 2026
The Office of the Ombudsman on Monday presented findings of an investigation initiated in August 2025 into the healthcare crisis affecting public health facilities in Botswana during a press briefing held at the Mass Media Complex.
For years, there has been growing public concern over the deteriorating condition of Princess Marina Hospital (PMH) and the quality of care provided to patients. Persistent reports of shortages, delays, overcrowding, and inhumane conditions, widely reflected in the media, could no longer be dismissed as isolated incidents.
These developments highlighted a widening gap between public expectations and the lived reality of healthcare service delivery. Prompted by allegations published in the Midweek Sun of 27th November 2024 regarding a collapse of emergency services at PMH, the Office of the Ombudsman initiated an own-motion investigation under the Ombudsman Act of 2021.
The inquiry revealed that challenges at PMH were symptomatic of broader systemic failures across the public health sector, including ambulance shortages, staffing deficits, medicine stockouts, weak governance, and poor infrastructure.
The Ministry of Health acknowledged deficiencies in capacity, competency, and governance that have contributed to violations of the right to health. The investigation assessed administrative conduct against national laws and international human rights standards, with particular attention to access, equity, efficiency, and quality of care.
Findings confirmed widespread overcrowding, prolonged waiting times, inadequate emergency response, and conditions inconsistent with human dignity, disproportionately affecting low-income and rural communities.
The Ombudsman concluded that Botswana has, to a significant extent, failed to meet its obligations to respect and protect the right to health. Thirty-six recommendations were issued, calling for urgent reforms, increased investment, strengthened accountability, and a human-rights-based approach to restoring quality, and equitable public healthcare for all.
Source: BWGovernment via Facebook
