Botswana’s Bad Batch

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Botswana’s Ministry of Health recalled a batch of tuberculosis (TB) treatment drugs in December after discovering a stunning flaw: They were effectively placebos.

Lab testing revealed the drugs were deficient in rifampicin and ethambutol — two of the four cornerstones of modern TB therapy. The Ministry reported that cases of “treatment failure,” where patients do not improve or remain infectious, had nearly doubled to 40, up from 22 during the same period last year.

But this bad batch is not an isolated quality control error. It’s the latest symptom of a crumbling global supply chain that has left developing nations scrambling for affordable medicine.

In August, the government declared a public health emergency after clinics ran out of essential medicines. The military stepped in to manage emergency distribution. Amid the shortfall, President Duma Boko said drug prices have often spiked “five to ten times.”

In October, the health minister said availability of medicines had improved, but a Global Drug Facility