In 2021, Botswana allocated 6.31% of its GDP and of its total budget to health care. The government heavily subsidizes health care, covering 76.46% of current health expenditure (CHE), resulting in out-of-pocket expenditure of only 4.30% of CHE. Meanwhile, donors contributed 5.36% and voluntary health insurance accounts for 13.84% of CHE.
Despite the affordability of health care in Botswana, the public health system faces challenges. including uneven distribution of facilities and poor quality health care, particularly in rural areas.
To stay on its path of universal health coverage, Botswana has been collaborating with the United States Agency for International Development’s Health Finance and Governance Project in developing a health financing strategy focused on improving efficiency and increasing resources to expand services and benefits in rural areas.
