Syncrisis, the dynamics of health : 13. Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland

The countries also share similar patterns of health and disease. Climatic and geographic factors relieve this part of Africa from a number of tropical diseases, but nutritional deficiencies in all of the countries are the same, due to common con-based diet. Under-nutrition is known or suspected, and the threat of drought with its accompanying malnutrition are areas of concern. Rapid population growth constrains development: cultural attitudes toward family planning are identical in each country though the response to the population problem varies in each one. The single most pressing program in the three countries is that of manpower development. All three cooperate in training and have a joint nursing council, yet their health systems all are very different, due to varying inputs from private and missionary groups and to differences in governmental response to the needs of the health sector. Despite these similarities, there are major differences among these countries and so each is treated separately in this report. Each country is examined in terms of health environment, determinants of health and disease, and health delivery system. Appendices for each country cover a general review of the background and setting.