Who Holds the Record · country brief · data as of 2026-10-01Who holds the health record in Botswana?
In 2026, Botswana scores 39 of 100 on a person's right to see, control and share their own health record: rank 98= of 196 countries (likely range 74 to 128), in the Weak band (25 to 44). Who holds the keys: Institutional. Source: Who Holds the Record, SuperTruth, data as of 2026-10-01.
Botswana has a modern data law with an active regulator, but clinic and hospital systems do not share records and patients have no portal.
Published · updated · data as of 2026-10-01 · research tool, not legal advice
Can I get my health records in Botswana?
Access to the full record scores 45 of 100 in Botswana, against a median of 43 across 196 countries. The Data Protection Act 2024 gives a free copy of your data within one month, and the Public Health Act lets facilities only temporarily deny record access. There is no patient portal, and we quote the published Bill because the enacted text was not verified.
Can I control who sees my health record in Botswana?
Control and consent scores 30 of 100 in Botswana, against a median of 30 across 196 countries. Health data may be processed without consent for diagnosis, treatment and health system management, and there is no shared record with sharing choices or an access log. Patients keep only general rights to object.
Eight rights, against Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and the EU
| Patient access to the full record20% | 45 | 45 · 35 · 40 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Patient control and consent20% | 30 | 30 · 30 · 30 | |
| Privacy and security15% | 58 | 48 · 48 · 45 | |
| Connected care journey15% | 28 | 35 · 38 · 35 | |
| Protection from commercial use10% | 48 | 50 · 45 · 48 | |
| Clinician access at the point of care10% | 22 | 25 · 36 · 28 | |
| Research and trial consent5% | 49 | 46 · 49 · 49 | |
| Clinical AI governance5% | 40 | 25 · 25 · 40 |
Black dot: Botswana. Hollow dots: Uganda, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana (scores on the right, same order). Grey line: median of all 196 countries. Dashed teal line: EU median. Overall: Botswana 39, EU median 61. Scores move in steps of about 5; read the rank with its likely range.
What would Botswana need to change to score higher?
Botswana sits in Weak (25 to 44); Mixed starts at 45. The two rights furthest below the 196-country median, weighted, are connected care journey (28, median 38) and clinician access at the point of care (22, median 34). The published rubric reads:
- Connected care journey: Primary care, hospitals, labs, pharmacy, claims and public health linked to one record and used at national scale.
- Clinician access at the point of care: Treating clinicians able to see the full record across providers, under consent and emergency rules.
Which laws give health record rights in Botswana?
- Data Protection Act 18 of 2024 (2024): Health is sensitive data; access, objection and portability rights; 72-hour breach notice; fines up to P50 million.
- Public Health Act 11 of 2013 (2013): Permanent health records, user access, record protection offences, research use with user and ethics authorisation.
- Medicines and Related Substances Act 29 of 2025 (2025): Continues BoMRA and widens regulation of medical devices and diagnostics; device regulations still in draft.
Strain and split context, not scored
- Doctors per 10,000
- 4.3 2024
- Nurses and midwives per 10,000
- 30.2 2024
- Private insurance + out-of-pocket
- 18.0% 2023
- Record reaches private care?
- unknown
Published stories
- none published in the last two years
Questions, corrections or a briefing: supertruth.ai/on-the-record#contact · Full index: whoholds.supertruth.ai