Procurement failures have depleted public-sector condom supplies, raising fears that Botswana’s HIV prevention gains could be placed at risk.
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
Botswana is facing a public-sector condom shortage, with the National AIDS and Health Promotion Agency (NAHPHA) warning that the supply failure could expose Batswana to an increased risk of new HIV infections.
SUPPLIES DISRUPTED
NAHPHA National Coordinator Ontiretse Letlhare acknowledged the shortage while responding to questions from the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), saying condoms were among the medical commodities affected by procurement challenges that emerged several months ago.
Letlhare said the country’s broader procurement problems had disrupted condom availability and caused shortages at public health facilities.
Asked by PAC members to confirm whether Botswana was experiencing an acute condom shortage, Letlhare acknowledged that the supply problem was a serious concern.
PREVENTION AT RISK
He said the shortage was particularly worrying because condoms remain one of the central pillars of Botswana’s HIV prevention strategy.
The shortage could place people who depend on publicly supplied condoms at greater risk of new HIV infections if they are unable to access them.
“We are concerned because condoms are one of the prevention pillars,” Letlhare told the committee.
Botswana continues to rely on a combination of measures to reduce new HIV infections, including condom use, HIV testing, treatment and other prevention interventions.
EMERGENCY PROCUREMENT
As an immediate response, Letlhare told PAC that NAHPHA had floated Requests for Quotations (RFQs) to different suppliers in an effort to accelerate the procurement of condoms.
He said the approach was intended to speed up the process and restore supplies to public health facilities.
NO TIMELINE
NAHPHA expressed optimism that the procurement process would resolve the shortage, although Letlhare did not provide a specific timeframe for the restoration of normal supplies.
The admission before PAC raises questions about Botswana’s preparedness to maintain essential HIV prevention commodities during procurement disruptions. A prolonged shortage could undermine efforts to prevent new infections and sustain progress in the national HIV response.