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Friday, 26 August 2011

SWAZILAND RUNNING OUT OF MEDICINE

Sick people in Swaziland have been forced to buy their own medication at pharmacies or go without because public health institutions have run out of drugs.

Most affected are those suffering with TB, diabetes and high blood pressure.

Swaziland is in the grip of financial meltdown and the Swazi Government has recently successfully begged South Africa for a R2.4 billion loan to see it through the next few months. But it was discovered this week that only R500 million of the loan will be spent on social care such as health and education.

In Swaziland seven in ten of the 1.2 million population live in abject poverty, earning less than US$1 a day (E7) and are unable to buy their own medicines.

Even working people cannot afford to pay. The Swazi Observer newspaper quoted one patient who suffers with high blood pressure that it cost E45 for two weeks’ worth of supplies.

Patients at the Nhlangano Health Centre have been told it has run out of drugs, the newspaper reported.

Since June, people suffering from high blood pressure have been forced to buy medicine from pharmacies. Diabetic patients have to pay E350 for medication.

The situation is the same at Hlatikulu Government Hospital, the newspaper reported.

Swaziland’s health services are rapidly deteriorating. In May (2011) nurses staged a daily picket at the Mbabane Government Hospital to draw attention to the lack of drugs and other supplies.

See also

GOVERNMENT CUTS HIT POOR HARD

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/01/government-cuts-hit-poor-hard.html

KING PARTIES AS SICK GO UNTREATED

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/05/king-parties-as-sick-go-untreated.html

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