Botswana Global Health Program

The Botswana Global Health Program in Anesthesia and Critical Care began in 2017 to complement the existing programs in Medicine and OB/GYN at Scottish Livingstone Hospital (SLH), in Molepolole, Botswana, in partnership with the Botswana Ministry of Health and the Botswana-Harvard partnership.  The program, founded by BIDMC anesthesiologist Dr. Edward Clune, now Director of Global Health Equity in the Department of Anesthesia, Critical Care and Pain Medicine at BIDMC, offers residents and fellows from BIDMC and other US Hospitals the opportunity to do elective rotations in Botswana for a unique global health learning experience.  It also bolsters critical care capacity and provides anesthesia training to local clinicians.  Anesthesiology services are in high demand in Botswana as the limited number of anesthesiologists are mostly foreign nationals.  This program provides a much-needed opportunity for clinicians of Botswana to train locally in this critical specialty so they can care for their fellow citizens.   

In 2020, Dr. Clune co-founded a Botswana-based anesthesia residency program that graduated its’ first group of home trained doctors in 2024.  The residency program has been a huge success and will gradually increase the number of home-grown providers in Botswana in the coming years.  Dr. Catronia Stewart assumed the position of Program Director for the International Anesthesia and Critical Care resident and fellow rotations in Botswana in 2023.