- – private sector disaster response fund donates 2,000 treatment units
The Private Sector Disaster Response Fund (PSDRF) has donated 2,000 units of first-line malaria treatment to Okavango District as the district continues to battle a growing malaria burden.
The donation, received by Okavango District Council last week, comprises of Artemether 20mg/Lumefantrine 120mg tablets and is intended to strengthen the availability of essential malaria treatment at health facilities across the district.
The PSDRF was established in February 2025 as a platform through which the private sector can collectively mobilise resources to support communities affected by disasters, emergencies and other urgent needs.
The medicines will be distributed among the Primary Health Care Department under Okavango District Council, Joseph Kavindama Primary Hospital and Gumare Primary Hospital. Malaria has historically been a major public health concern in the Okavango region, with the area recording some of Botswana’s highest malaria burdens.
Receiving the donation on behalf of the council, Acting Council Secretary Michael Israel said the intervention had come at a critical time, with the district among the areas hardest hit by malaria.
Israel said Okavango had recorded 1,038 malaria cases in the recent raining season and four deaths, making the availability of treatment an important component of the district’s response to the disease.
He expressed appreciation to the PSDRF for responding to the district’s needs, noting that the donated medicines would help strengthen ongoing efforts by health workers to treat affected patients and protect communities.
“The donation comes at a critical time for the district,” said Israel, adding that the support would go a long way towards strengthening the malaria response. Israel also appealed to the private sector to continue supporting Okavango beyond the health sector, saying the vast district faced needs across several areas.
He noted that Government was operating under financial constraints, making partnerships between Government, the private sector and other stakeholders important in addressing the needs of communities.
The Board Chairperson of Private Sector Disaster Response Fund Butler Phirie said the malaria donation was made in recognition of the work already being undertaken by Government and health workers on the ground in responding to the malaria situation.
The donation is expected to complement Government’s efforts by improving access to first-line treatment at a time when malaria remains a major public health concern in the district.
With the medicines now available for distribution, health authorities are expected to continue with treatment and other malaria-control interventions aimed at reducing infections and preventing further loss of life.
