Harvard Health Partnership role significant

President Advocate Duma Boko has commended the Botswana Harvard Partnership (BHP) for elevating Botswana’s profile in scientific research and development, describing the institution as a key contributor to the country’s growing presence in the global knowledge economy. The President, who was receiving BHP delegation during a courtesy call on Tuesday said Botswana’s role was to continue providing a conducive environment that would enable the institution to produce world-class research outcomes. He said government had worked to ensure stability, safety, productivity, accountability and credibility, creating conditions necessary for the institution to thrive.

“We appreciate your research outcomes,” said President Boko, noting that BHP’s contribution to the discovery of the Omicron COVID-19 variant helped shape global preparedness and intervention strategies during the pandemic. The President said the achievement demonstrated that Botswana was not merely a consumer of knowledge but an active contributor to scientific advancement. “What it indicated to us is that in this knowledge economy, we are not coming as mere consumers,” he said, describing BHP as a storehouse of knowledge.

“We are grateful for raising our profile in that manner,” he added. Despite these achievements, President Boko noted that Botswana continued to face emerging public health challenges, particularly cancer, including cervical cancer, where prevention efforts remained inadequate. He urged BHP to play a more visible and vocal role in raising awareness among leaders and the public, saying government systems were often large and sometimes ineffective in responding swiftly to challenges.

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As a result, he said voices from outside government were essential in highlighting issues requiring urgent attention. On the issue of funding, President Boko said dependence on international donors remained a challenge for many African institutions. “When one is dependent on external funding, they are at the mercy of those who provide it,” he said, stressing the need to develop sustainable domestic funding mechanisms.

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