Published: 8 hours ago

Zimbabwe has stepped in to help neighbouring Botswana with a consignment of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), sending a shipment that combines both a donation and a loan as Gaborone grapples with temporary shortages in its HIV treatment programme.

According to a statement from the Botswana Embassy in Harare, trucks carrying the life-saving medicines departed Zimbabwe earlier this week under a bilateral arrangement that includes 20% of the consignment as a donation and 80% as a loan to be reimbursed in ARVs.

"The government of the Republic of Zimbabwe extended a generous gesture to the Republic of Botswana through a loan facility, with 20% of the consignment as a donation and 80% provided as a loan to be reimbursed in the form of ARVs," the Embassy of Botswana in Zimbabwe said.

Botswana's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Sarah Molosiwa, conveyed her government's appreciation on behalf of President Duma Gideon Boko, describing the shipment as "a vital gesture of solidarity" between two friendly nations.

NatPharm headquarters in Harare as trucks carrying a consignment of anti-retroviral drugs departed for Gaborone. Ambassador Molosiwa was received and briefed by NatPharm Managing Director Newman Mazikwa before the convoy's departure.

The Botswana Ministry of Health and Wellness confirmed on Thursday that the ARVs had arrived in Gaborone. In a statement posted to its verified Facebook page, the ministry said the consignment would help stabilise the country's ARV supply chain after procurement delays had caused concern among patients and health facilities.

"Loaning medicines and medical commodities is a common practice for countries that are friendly to each other as Botswana is to its neighbours," the ministry said. "This will help stabilise the ARV situation in the country."

The emergency shipment underscores Zimbabwe's growing pharmaceutical and logistics capacity, which has seen a sharp turnaround under President Emmerson Mnangagwa's drive to boost local manufacturing and health-sector self-sufficiency.

According to The Herald newspaper in Zimbabwe, Mnangagwa recently commissioned a US$6.96 million (more than R12 billion) National Pharmaceutical Company (NatPharm) warehouse in Mutare, describing it as a major step towards transforming Zimbabwe into a regional hub for medical supplies.

"Since 2018, there has been a 56 percent increase in the number of pharmaceutical entities from nine in 2020 to the current 14," Mnangagwa was quoted as saying at the launch.

He added that the mega pharmaceutical warehouse represents "a significant milestone in our concerted efforts to enhance access to essential medicines and health commodities, especially in rural areas."

"A viable health sector is not only an indicator, but also a precondition and outcome of social and economic sustainable development," he added.

Analysts say the ability to loan ARVs to a neighbouring country marks a symbolic shift for Zimbabwe - once plagued by chronic drug shortages and donor dependence, it is now positioning itself as a regional player in pharmaceutical resilience and humanitarian diplomacy.

The exchange has sparked widespread attention across social media, where many Zimbabweans have hailed the gesture as a sign of progress and regional cooperation. In Botswana, health commentators have welcomed the move as evidence of "African solutions to African challenges," with some urging that the arrangement be formalised into a Southern African Development Community (SADC) health-security framework.

Observers say the episode could mark a turning point in Southern Africa's approach to medicine security, where countries increasingly rely on each other to manage stock-outs caused by procurement delays, global supply disruptions or funding constraints.

For Botswana, the immediate effect is stabilisation of ARV supplies for thousands of patients. For Zimbabwe, it is a rare diplomatic win - a testament to its expanding health infrastructure and a sign that its pharmaceutical sector is beginning to export strength rather than shortage.
- IOL

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