Before the Botswana-UPenn Partnership was established, Botswana was suffering from a shortage of doctors as the country battled a growing HIV/AIDS epidemic that had struck nearly 40 percent of its population.
Since its founding, the BUP has trained more than 4,000 Botswana healthcare workers in clinical care at Princess Marina Hospital, district hospitals, local clinics, and the University of Botswana.
The partnership, which takes an interdisciplinary approach to building healthcare capacity, consists of the Government of Botswana, the University of Botswana, and the University of Pennsylvania. BUP’s three programs include clinical care, research, and medical education.
The clinical care program focuses on areas related to HIV and co-morbidities, tuberculosis, cervical cancer, dermatology, and pediatrics, while the partnership’s education initiatives include training healthcare personnel in prevention and treatment. In addition, joint research programs have been developed to address issues relevant to the health and welfare of the citizens of Botswana. The partnership also offers invaluable experience to UPenn trainees in global health.