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The University of Botswana (UB) recently hosted the Lesotho Boston Health Alliance (LeBoHA), an international delegation of medical education experts in a high-level engagement aimed at strengthening collaboration and sharing best practices in health sciences training.

The two day visit that was held on the 19th and 20th of March 2026 at Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital (SKMTH), brought together senior academics from UB’s School of Medicine including Acting Head of Internal Medicine and Head of Psychiatry department alongside 10 representatives from an international health alliance linked to Boston University School of Medicine with the LeBoHa President, Professor Brian Jack in presence. The engagement focused on UB's medical education journey which began with a presidential mandate in 1995 to establish a teaching hospital and continued with the creation of its medical training programmes. The School of Medicine has grown significantly since its official launch in 2009, currently having several departments and postgraduate training programmes.

The visiting delegation, led by Dr Nkabane Nkholongo, an Executive Director from a Lesotho-based health education initiative, indicated that their mission was to learn from UB’s model as they work towards establishing a medical school in their own country. “We are here to learn from the University of Botswana particularly as we have been mandated to establish a medical school. We also hope to explore opportunities for collaboration,” she added.

The delegation included academics affiliated with Boston University, reinforcing the global partnerships that continue to shape medical education in the region. During the session, representatives from Lesotho outlined their own progress in developing postgraduate medical training particularly in Family Medicine. Their programme, established in partnership with international institutions, was intended to address critical healthcare challenges including a severe shortage of doctors and low doctor-to-patient ratios.

Since launching these initiatives, Lesotho has seen measurable progress, among them, the graduation of Family Physicians who now play leadership roles in the national healthcare system. The introduction of a local internship programme in 2019 has further increased the number of practicing doctors in the country. Both institutions acknowledged the shared challenges faced across the region including workforce shortages, the burden of diseases such as HIV and the need for stronger primary healthcare systems.

The meeting concluded with a shared commitment to deepen collaboration in medical education, research and training, with the ultimate goal of improving healthcare delivery in southern Africa. The engagement gave emphasis to UB’s growing role as a regional hub for medical education and its contribution to building sustainable healthcare systems across the continent.