The Botswana Institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) has reaffirmed its role as a national technology innovation partner following the successful soft launch of a new digital platform that is transforming how the Botswana Health Professions Council (BHPC) delivers regulatory services to healthcare professionals across the country. 

The platform was officially unveiled during a media briefing held at the Sir Ketumile Masire Teaching Hospital on 16 July 2026, where BHPC leadership outlined the Council’s mandate and shared its vision for modernising healthcare regulation through digital innovation.  

Introducing the system, Senior Software Business Analyst, Mr Simisani Kelaotswe said the project exemplifies BITRI’s mandate of transforming needs-based research into practical, home-grown technologies that address Botswana’s national priorities. 

“At BITRI, our mandate is to transform needs-based research into practical, home-grown solutions that address Botswana’s national priorities and improve the lives of Batswana. We are proud to partner with BHPC on this initiative because it demonstrates how research and innovation can solve real-world challenges while advancing Botswana’s digital transformation.” 

Recognising the growing demand for efficient, accessible, and transparent public services, BHPC has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its regulatory processes. The online licensing platform unveiled during the briefing marks the first phase of this broader transformation programme, beginning with the digitisation of annual licence renewals. 

Mr Kelaotswe explained that the renewal module represents the foundation of a much larger digital ecosystem that BITRI will continue to develop in partnership with BHPC until the Council’s end-to-end business processes are fully digitalised. 

The new platform allows healthcare professionals to complete licence renewals entirely online, eliminating the need to travel to Gaborone or submit paper applications. Professionals can securely upload supporting documents, monitor the progress of their applications in real time and receive digital proof of registration embedded with a verifiable QR code. 

Mr Kelaotswe appealed to healthcare professionals and institutional stakeholders to embrace the Council’s digital transformation journey. 

“The success of this initiative depends on all stakeholders giving BHPC’s digitalisation efforts a chance. Ultimately, the system makes processes simpler, faster, and more convenient for everyone. We encourage institutions that rely on BHPC registration, including hospitals and private healthcare providers, to incorporate these digital processes into their workflows.” 

The collaboration demonstrates how locally developed technology can modernise public institutions while reducing administrative costs, improving service accessibility, and enhancing regulatory efficiency. 

For BITRI, the project is another milestone in delivering practical innovations that contribute to Botswana’s Digital Transformation Agenda and reinforce the Institute’s commitment to developing technologies that improve public service delivery and national competitiveness. 

As the partnership progresses, additional digital modules are expected to be introduced, ultimately creating a fully integrated digital regulatory environment that will modernise the Council’s operations and improve the experience of healthcare professionals and the public alike. 

The event featured addresses by BHPC Council Chairman Dr Marape Marape, Council Member Prof Billy Tsima, Director of Health Services Dr Oratile Mfokeng-Selei and BHPC Registrar Dr Malebogo Charles, before concluding with a live demonstration of the BITRI-developed online system by, Mr Kelaotswe.