Sharing the expertise of a world-class university with our partners in Botswana to build capacity and excellence in clinical care, education, and research.

  • A Botswana-UPenn Partnership faculty member examines a pediatric patient. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • A Penn medical student rotating in Mochudi observes a physician at work. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • Residents help staff a busy dermatology clinic at Princess Marina Hospital 2-3 days a week. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • The Botswana-UPenn Partnership is helping to write new clinical guidelines for patient care in Botswana. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • A group of health providers review how to spot TB in a chest x-ray. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • Healthcare workers attending a telemedicine training session. Cell phones are used to help make clinical diagnosis and obtain health information. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

  • BUP's tuberculosis contract tracing program aims to break the transmission cycle of TB in Botswana. Eric Rankae interviews a woman in Old Naledi whose sone was admitted to hospital with TB. Photo by Ryan Littman-Quinn

              Botswana-UPenn Partnership

 
                                                   Announcement!
 
                         New Botswana-UPenn Partnership Position Opening

                                                                                   Research Associate

The Botswana-UPenn Partnership is a collaboration between the Botswana Government, University of Botswana, and University of Pennsylvania. We aim to improve clinical care of HIV infected and affected persons, advance research and enrich academic life... APPLY HERE.

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Message from our Chief Executive, Dr. Harvey Friedman
The University of Pennsylvania has developed productive and meaningful partnerships with the Botswana Ministry of Health and the University of Botswana. Our approach has been to endorse the tripartite mission of a medical school, which includes providing outstanding medical care while teaching about the diseases we are seeing and researching the issues that are most relevant to the country. The Botswana-UPenn Partnership has provided outstanding opportunities for Penn students and faculty to learn about health care management and disease presentations in resource constrained settings and to experience life in a wonderful yet very different culture. As we look to the future, we hope to expand our commitment beyond HIV, TB and cervical cancer to non-communicable diseases that are high priorities for the country. We look to apply new technologies like telemedicine to help deliver improved healthcare to people living in remote regions of Botswana. I invite you to learn more about our work, make a donation to our program, or to contact us for questions or comments. Harvey Friedman, MD Director, Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Philadelphia

The University of Pennsylvania has developed productive and meaningful partnerships with the Botswana Ministry of Health and the University of Botswana. Our approach has been to endorse the tripartite mission of a medical school, which includes providing outstanding medical care while teaching about the diseases we are seeing and researching the issues that are most relevant to the country. The Botswana-UPenn Partnership has provided outstanding opportunities for Penn students and faculty to learn about health care management and disease presentations in resource constrained settings and to experience life in a wonderful yet very different culture. As we look to the future, we hope to expand our commitment beyond HIV, TB and cervical cancer to non-communicable diseases that are high priorities for the country. We look to apply new technologies like telemedicine to help deliver improved healthcare to people living in remote regions of Botswana.

I invite you to learn more about our work, make a donation to our program, or to contact us for questions or comments.

Harvey Friedman, MD
Director, Botswana-UPenn Partnership, Philadelphia

       


Message from our Country Director, Dr. Doreen Ramogola-Masire

I am pleased to take this opportunity to welcome you the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP) website.  It offers a great introduction to the work and the history of the University of Pennsylvania's role in Botswana.Doreen Ramogola Masire

The work of the BUP strives to improve the health of the people of Botswana on many levels. Our highly trained clinicians provide teaching and support expert care in clinics and hospitals across Botswana. We support national initiatives to improve care in HIV/AIDS and common co-morbidities, including active participation on technical working groups and treatment guideline development initiatives.  Our informatics specialists provide technical assistance to the development and implementation of telemedicine solutions to bridge the gap between specialists and remote patient populations, and tele-mentoring solutions to improve access to medical information resources. BUP researchers conduct cutting edge research to answer critical questions in the mission to improve the health of Batswana.  We're active partners of the University of Botswana, working with faculty to train the next generation of doctors and nurses, helping to build a long-term, sustainable solution to the shortage of health care workers in the country.

On behalf of our in country team of over 80 staff members, I would like to encourage you to find out more about the Partnerships' activities and how you can get involved.

Le amogetswe! (Welcome!)

Doreen Ramogola-Masire, MD
Country Director, Gaborone, Botswana

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  •  
  •                        BUP Programs

 

  1.     Clinical Care

 

          Education

 
  1.         Research

RLQ Steenhoff with Patient   Trainees learning how to read a chest x-ray   BUP Staff discussing research

A combination of PEPFAR funds and research grants currently support approximately 60 full time physicians, nurses, social workers, and auxiliary health personnel working for Penn in Botswana.                                                BUP clinicians specialize in care for patients with HIV/AIDS and common co-morbidities, tuberculosis, pediatrics, malnutrition and cervical cancer.. (learn more)

 
  1. The BUP has two main medical education initiatives, one directed at medical students, trainees and Health Care Workers in Botswana, and another for Penn students and trainees.
  2. The first program is a collaboration with UB School of Medicine, and the Harvard School of Public Health, under MEPI (Medical Education Partnership Initiative)... (learn more)
 
  1. The BUP has 5 major NIH grants and many pilot projects funded by the Penn Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and others .                                                     BUP research clinicians contribute to the development of the Botswna Ministry of Health's National Guidelines.
  2. BUP-affiliated researchers in Botswana and at Penn have co-authored more than 85 scientific articles to date.. (learn more)
  1. (All photos by Ryan Littman-Quinn)
 
BUP Program Documents

2012 BUP Year End Report (PDF 12/12)

Frequently Asked Questions (10/12)

BUP Program Overview (PDF 7/12)

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        BUP Video: Telemedicine and mHealth in Botswana

We have a new video highlighting the work of the Botswana-UPenn Partnership (BUP) Telemedicine and Health Informatics Capacity Building Program. Our program takes a multi-pronged, inter-disciplinary approach to developing integrated capacity with local partners in Botswana. Public-Private-Partnerships are essential to sustainably scaling mHealth initiatives, and Orange's commitment and investment as a telecom partner has been monumental to the progress of these mHealth initiatives in Botswana.

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Video not working? See the video here!

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                            BUP Stuff: Online Shop

Hey! You can buy BUP-branded merchandise (hats! mug! shirts!) online here. Proceeds support our continued work.

BUP items for sale - hat, shirt, water bottle, etc.