A strong relationship between BotswanaPost and the country’s Ministry of Health, supported by funding from the Universal Postal Union’s (UPU) Post4Health initiative, has enabled the delivery of more than 2,000 kg of cold-chain medicine across the country each month.
Post4Health is a UPU initiative, launched with the World Health Organization during the COVID-19 vaccine rollout, that helps postal operators deliver vaccines, medicines and other health products, including temperature-sensitive goods that need cold-chain logistics. By bringing together governments, health authorities and Posts, it uses the postal network’s reach into rural and isolated communities for last-mile delivery, so Posts can directly support national health and social policy goals.BotswanaPost has worked with Central Medical Stores (CMS), the country’s government-mandated medical supply and logistics agency, since 2012 to address challenges in healthcare delivery through the Post’s extensive network. In early 2025, the Post received additional funding through Post4Health, which it used to buy four temperature-controlled trucks and begin offering cold-chain distribution.
These new capabilities have allowed the Post to deliver more than 2,000 kg of temperature-sensitive medication each month, much of it requiring delivery within 24 to 72 hours, to 151 drop-off points at health facilities across Botswana, including rural and remote areas. The service now also supports the Botswana Vaccine Institute, transporting foot-and-mouth disease vaccines to help contain outbreaks across the country.
Post–government connection is critical
Government support is critical to the success of such initiatives and is a prerequisite for Post4Health funding. Botswana offers a standout example of how the postal network can deliver a wide range of essential services and further governments’ policy objectives.
“The existing relationship between BotswanaPost and the Ministry of Health was key to ensuring the success of this new initiative. BotswanaPost is already contracted to Central Medical Stores for the warehousing and distribution of medical supplies, so the Ministry understood the impact of the project on the delivery of medications and supplies to its citizens,” says Tlamelo Ntebele, General Manager of Mail Operations at BotswanaPost.
Ntebele adds that, because of this relationship, the right policy and regulatory frameworks were already in place for the Post to expand into these services.
“The UPU has really shown that the postal network offers infinite possibilities. Our ability to operate in the cold-chain supply space was made possible by this funding. The financial support to purchase the cold-chain vehicles was instrumental in addressing a gap in our logistics and enabled us to preserve the lives of many people by ensuring the quality of medications in transit is not compromised,” says Ntebele.