The United States government, Botswana’s long standing strategic health partner, donated medical equipment to the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) to bolster its HIV/AIDS response.
The handover of medical laboratory equipment, valued at $40,000, was made through the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), the DOD-funded component of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. The equipment includes laboratory refrigerators, computers, and printers, which will be placed in four BDF military camp laboratories across the country.
The refrigerators will be used to store biological products, samples, and reagents. They will improve the BDF’s storage capacity for samples and reagents, which ensures safe keeping, and improves quality control and assurance. The four computers form the essential part of the laboratory information system and will be used to monitor and control laboratory equipment. They will be used to improve the accuracy and efficiency in the handling of large and sensitive medical data, data interpretation, and information generated for patient care, greatly improving the turnaround time of results and lab efficiency.
For additional information, please contact the U.S. Embassy Press Office at 373-2419 or PASGaborone@state.gov.
