A quarter of a century ago, Botswana was in the throes of the AIDS/HIV crisis. At its peak, 25 percent of the southern African country's population was infected. Between 1986 and 2002, life expectancy in Botswana dropped precipitously, from 61 years to 50. The country's leaders at the time viewed the epidemic as an existential danger, with then-President Festus Mogae saying in 2001, "We are threatened with extinction."
But in the past 25 years, Botswana's AIDS-related death rate has fallen by more than 75 percent. Today, the AIDS/HIV crisis has stabilized to be just one of many chronic health issues the country is managing, supported by a powerful health infrastructure and academic enterprise that are looking beyond treating infectious diseases to enhancing optimal health.
Along with strategic investments in health infrastructure and public health initiatives, international partnerships were a key ingredient in this remarkable success. Since 2001, Penn has served as one of the country's primary partners through the Botswana-UPenn Partnership, an office of Penn located in Gaborone, Botswana, that supports Botswana clinicians and leaders through collaborative research, clinical service, and training for local practitioners. The program has successfully marshalled Penn's resources and supported Penn Medicine clinicians and faculty to promote both individuals' health and the health and educational foundation of the entire country.
