Gaborone, Botswana – 10 May 2019: The World Health Organization Regional Office for Africa (WHO/AFRO), as part of its effort to support member countries to provide "real-time" data, which could be verified and validated for polio surveillance, routine immunization and field supportive supervision procured and delivered equipment to Botswana’s Ministry of Health and Wellness (MoHW). This support is aimed at utilising GIS technological innovations for surveillance and other public health interventions to improve programme performance and accountability, ownership and adaptability to other health programmes and sustainability, including for example, diseases outbreak control, coverage surveys, mortality surveys.

With the support of WHO/AFRO, the WHO Botswana Country Office (WCO) supported the Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness with the installation, configuration and training on the usage of this equipment at both WCO and MoHW.

In the course of the week, training sessions were conducted for MoHW personnel drawn from the ICT, EPI programme, Health Informatics and M&E units, as well as staff from the WCO.

MoHW's top management affirmed their commitment to utilise the equipment for health programmes in the country.