Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital (NRH) is one of Botswana’s main national referral hospitals, located in Francistown, North-East District. It is the largest and most important referral hospital in northern Botswana.

Overview

• Location: Francistown, Botswana
• Type: Public tertiary referral hospital
• Role: Major referral centre for northern Botswana
• Under: Botswana Ministry of Health & Wellness

What makes it important

Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital is the top-level referral hospital for the northern region, meaning it receives patients from:

• Athlone District Hospital
• Selebi-Phikwe Hospital
• Gumare Primary Hospital
• Gweta Primary Hospital
• Clinics and health posts across northern and north-western Botswana

It is often the final referral point before specialist national hospitals in Gaborone (SKMTH or Princess Marina).

Services offered

It provides specialist and advanced care, including:

• Emergency and trauma (24/7 casualty unit)
• Intensive Care Unit (ICU)
• General and specialist surgery
• Internal medicine (cardiology, respiratory, renal care, etc.)
• Pediatrics and neonatal care
• Obstetrics and gynecology (high-risk maternity cases)
• Orthopedics
• Radiology (X-ray, ultrasound, CT services)
• Laboratory and pathology services
• HIV/AIDS and TB specialized care programs

Teaching role

• Functions as a clinical training site for medical students, interns, nurses, and specialists
• Works with Botswana medical training institutions and universities
• Supports practical training for future healthcare professionals

Role in Botswana’s health system

Nyangabgwe sits at the top of the northern health pyramid:

• Clinics & Health Posts → Primary Hospitals → District Hospitals → Nyangabgwe Referral Hospital
• Complex cases may still be referred onward to Gaborone tertiary hospitals if needed

Context

Francistown is Botswana’s second-largest city, so NRH is extremely important for:

• Mining communities (Selebi-Phikwe, Francistown region)
• Rural northern districts
• Cross-border patients from nearby Zimbabwe border areas in some cases