Medochemie dispatched two tons of essential medicines to Botswana in July to address critical shortages at the country’s only Paediatric Oncology Centre.
The shipment included antibiotics, pain medications, and anti-nausea drugs needed for children receiving cancer treatment.
The donation came through the Cyprus International Action Plan for Childhood Cancer, led by Professor Loizos G. Loizou. When Botswana oncologists reported severe medicine shortages, Medochemie Chief Operating Officer Daphne Pittas authorized immediate pharmaceutical aid.
“This consignment of two tons of essential medicines will ease the burden on our healthcare workers and provide essential relief to patients who have gone without critical medications for too long,” said Botswana Health Minister Dr. Stephen Modise during the handover ceremony in Gaborone.
Second Major Shipment This Year
The July donation marks the second significant medical aid shipment from Cyprus to Botswana in 2025. An earlier May delivery included anticancer medications and chemotherapy drugs for the Gaborone facility.
Both shipments address ongoing medicine supply challenges in Botswana’s healthcare system, where shortages of essential drugs have affected patient care. The Paediatric Oncology Centre serves children from across the country, making reliable medicine supply critical for treatment outcomes.
President Duma Boko and Health Minister Modise publicly thanked Cyprus, the ELPIDA Foundation, and Medochemie for their support. “This is more than a shipment of medical supplies. It is an act of solidarity, partnership, and shared humanity,” Modise said.
Cyprus Emerges as Medical Aid Hub
The Botswana donations position Cyprus as a growing source of international medical assistance. The Cyprus International Action Plan for Childhood Cancer coordinates medicine deliveries, telemedicine programs, and physician training across multiple countries.
“From the heart of the Mediterranean, Cyprus can play a vital role as a hub of cooperation, education, and humanitarian medical aid,” said Professor Loizou, who founded the international childhood cancer initiative.
Medochemie’s quick response capability stems from its global manufacturing network, which includes 15 facilities across Cyprus, Netherlands, and Vietnam. The company produces medicines for 122 countries, giving it both the scale and logistics capability for rapid humanitarian response.
Corporate Response to Healthcare Crisis
For Medochemie, the Botswana donations align with corporate values established when Dr. Andreas Pittas founded the company in 1976. The company describes its philosophy as “Growth with a human face,” emphasizing social responsibility alongside business growth.
The company regularly donates medicines during humanitarian crises, contributing to relief efforts in conflict zones and underserved regions. This humanitarian work complements Medochemie’s core business of manufacturing generic medicines for global markets.
Cyprus government supported financially the Botswana shipment through CyprusAid. President Nikos Christodoulides and Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos also supported the initiative.
Long-term Healthcare Partnership
Botswana officials indicated the medicine donations represent the beginning of broader healthcare cooperation with Cyprus. Beyond emergency medicine supplies, the partnership will include telemedicine consultations and palliative care programs.
“We look forward to deepening our collaboration with the Cypriot Government. Together, we can address not just today’s shortages, but build a stronger, more sustainable health system for tomorrow,” Minister Modise said.
The partnership model allows Cyprus to leverage its pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities while providing Botswana with access to medicines and medical expertise that might otherwise be unavailable.
Addressing Critical Medicine Shortages
The Botswana donations highlight ongoing challenges in pharmaceutical supply chains for developing countries. Essential medicines, particularly specialized drugs for cancer treatment, often face supply disruptions due to cost, logistics, and regulatory barriers that disproportionately affect smaller healthcare systems.
Paediatric cancer drugs present particular challenges because of limited global demand and complex manufacturing requirements. Many essential supportive care medications for children with cancer are produced by only a few manufacturers worldwide, making supply disruptions particularly problematic when they occur.
In Botswana, the shortage of antibiotics, analgesics, and antiemetic medicines affected the country’s only paediatric oncology centre, which serves children from across the southern African region. These medicines are critical for managing side effects of cancer treatment and preventing complications that could interrupt therapy.
The specific medicines donated by Medochemie address several critical needs in paediatric cancer care. Antibiotics help prevent and treat infections in immunocompromised children receiving chemotherapy. Analgesics manage pain associated with both cancer and treatment procedures. Antiemetic medicines control nausea and vomiting that commonly result from chemotherapy, helping children maintain nutrition and continue treatment.
Cyprus-Botswana Healthcare Partnership Development
The medicine donations represent part of a broader healthcare partnership between Cyprus and Botswana that extends beyond emergency aid. The collaboration includes telemedicine consultations that connect Botswana oncologists with international specialists, providing access to expertise that might not otherwise be available locally.
Professor Loizou’s Cyprus International Action Plan for Childhood Cancer operates across five strategic areas: medicine and equipment delivery, education and prevention programs, telemedicine services, physician training, and humanitarian support. This comprehensive approach addresses both immediate needs and long-term healthcare system development.
The partnership model allows Cyprus to leverage its pharmaceutical manufacturing capabilities and medical expertise while providing Botswana with access to medicines and medical knowledge that might otherwise be unavailable. The arrangement benefits from Cyprus’s strategic location and established relationships with European pharmaceutical companies.
Botswana’s healthcare system serves approximately 2.4 million people across a geographically large but sparsely populated country. The centralized paediatric oncology centre in Gaborone treats children from across the region, making reliable medicine supply critical for maintaining treatment protocols and achieving positive outcomes.
International Medical Aid Coordination
The successful delivery of medicines to Botswana required coordination among multiple organizations and government agencies. The Cyprus Medical Association, Cyprus Paediatric Society, and medical schools from the University of Nicosia and European University Cyprus provided professional support and validation for the humanitarian mission.
The Cyprus Chamber of Commerce and Industry provided financial support while the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Cyprus provided regulatory oversight through its pharmaceutical services and procurement departments.
This multi-organizational approach demonstrates how effective international medical aid requires cooperation among professional associations, academic institutions, business organizations, and government agencies. The model created for the Botswana donations could serve as a template for future humanitarian pharmaceutical missions.
The involvement of Cyprus President Nikos Christodoulides and Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos through CyprusAid, indicates the strong involvement of the Cyprus government in the Cyprus International Action Plan for childhood cancer.
Corporate Humanitarian Response Model
Medochemie’s response to the Botswana crisis illustrates how pharmaceutical companies can structure rapid humanitarian responses while maintaining their core business operations. The company’s global manufacturing network and established distribution relationships enable quick mobilization of medicines for emergency situations.
The company’s “Growth with a human face” philosophy, established by founder Dr. Andreas Pittas, creates a framework for balancing commercial objectives with humanitarian responsibilities. This approach allows Medochemie to respond to healthcare crises while reinforcing its corporate values and brand reputation.
For pharmaceutical companies, humanitarian responses can provide valuable experience in new markets while demonstrating corporate social responsibility.
Medochemie’s involvement demonstrates how pharmaceutical companies can use their global capabilities to address humanitarian healthcare needs while supporting international development partnerships.
