𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐃𝐒𝐑 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐡 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐲 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐩𝐲𝐞

From 14–18 September 2026 Botswana Red Cross Society is supporting Palapye District to deliver a five-day Integrated Disease Surveillance and Response (IDSR) training for over 30 participants from across the district.

Palapye is the second district reached through this initiative following the Northwest District training conducted last week. The training is strengthening capacity for early detection, timely reporting, verification and coordinated response to priority public health threats including the current diarrhoeal disease surge, the upcoming malaria transmission season and other climate-sensitive health risks.

During the opening remarks, Palapye District Council Acting DCS–Primary Health Ms Joyce Gabathusi emphasised the importance of translating learning into action, noting that the training is timely given the current public health context. She encouraged participants to apply the knowledge and skills gained to strengthen surveillance and response at district and community levels.

The rollout reinforces BRCS’s role in augmenting government efforts in disease prevention, surveillance and public health emergency preparedness. The training is supported by the Botswana Public Health Institute and World Health Organization Botswana with providing facilitators and technical guidance.