Botswana has declared a public health emergency after facing severe shortages of essential medicines and medical equipment. President Duma Boko announced the decision in a televised address, setting out a multimillion-pound plan to rectify the supply chain involving military oversight.

Boko said that managing shortages would be "highly price sensitive" due to limited funds. The crisis followed a downturn in the international diamond market and cuts to U.S. aid, leaving most of the 2.5 million population grappling with poverty and unemployment.

The Ministry for Health also temporarily suspended referrals for elective surgeries and non-urgent medical conditions as a result of these challenges, including organ transplant surgeries. The Health Ministry also said there were shortages of dressings and sutures.

Shortages included cancer, HIV, and tuberculosis treatments, once heavily supported by U.S. funding.

The Ministry of Finance had earlier approved $18.7m in emergency funding for procurement, said Boko, adding that the military would oversee the distribution of emergency medicines, with the first shipments dispatched immediately from the capital, Gaborone, with priority given to deprived rural areas.

UNICEF has called for "urgent action" in the country to "protect the health and future of every child in Botswana".