Gaborone, Botswana – 9 April 2018: Honourable Dr Alfred Madigele, the new Minister of Health and Wellness, and Honourable Mr Biggie Butale, the new Assistant Minister of Health and Wellness, today received Dr Martins Ovberedjo, the WHO Representative for Botswana, at the Minister’s office.

Dr Ovberedjo congratulated both Ministers on their appointments. He proceeded to brief the Ministers on the important health development issues. He reaffirmed WHO’s continued commitment to support the successful implementation of the on-going MoHw restructuring exercise. The Ministers were also briefed on matters needing their urgent attention and follow-up, including the preparations for the 71st World Health Assembly which will take place in Geneva in May 2018.
 
The Honourable Minister, Dr Alfred Madigele, thanked WHO for the goodwill visit, and re-affirmed his commitment to further deepen on-going technical collaboration with WHO, to address health challenges facing Botswana. The Honourable Minister expressed gratitude for the continued commitment by WHO to support the county to achieve identified health targets. He promised to draw from his previous experience, when he once served as the Assistant Minister of Health, to accelerate actions to implement recommendations from WHO.
 
Both parties agreed that, to harness the valuable technical assistance provided by WHO, there is need to convene regular bilateral meetings and undertake field support visits to districts and health facilities across the country to ensure follow-up of implementation of identified sector interventions.