Drugs have run out and there are shortages of nurses,
midwives and other health professionals. Fuel frequently runs out and ambulances
and other vehicles have broken down.
Among the major challenges faced by the ministry are a
shortage of drugs, delayed payment of service providers, frequent shortages of
fuel, the breakdown of transport and shortages in human resources.
The information was contained in the ministry’s first quarter performance
report delivered to the Swazi parliament.
Part of the report states, ‘While most patients were
negatively affected, highly impacted patients were those on psychiatric
medication, which stocked out for longer periods and those taking
anti-hypertensive treatment. The main cause for stock-outs is failure to pay
suppliers on time due to the fiscal challenges facing the government.’
The government which is not elected but chosen by absolute
monarch King Mswati III owes
about E3 billion (US$340 million) to suppliers across all public services,
including schools.
The report said that within the health sector most
facilities had been negatively affected by the delayed payment and subsequent
withdrawal of services by service providers. This included catering, security,
servicing of medical equipment, immunisation, external referrals, cleaning
materials and protective supplies.
‘This has negatively affected the provision of health
services, thus reducing the quality of patient stay at facilities,’ the report
added.
The report stated there were a total of 179 vacant
positions at the end of March 2019; including 19 medical or dental officers, 77
nurses or midwives and 83 allied health professionals, administrative and
support staff. At least 400
qualified nurses were unemployed, Director of Health Services Dr Vusi Magagula recently told a
meeting of pensioners in Mbabane.
The crisis has been deepening for a number of years.
At least six children were
reported to have died from diarrhoea earlier this month (August 2019). Drugs to treat
them were unavailable.
Collection points have been
set up across Mbabane, the Swaziland capital, to collect donations to feed
hospital patients left hungry after the government failed to pay food suppliers.
Food banks organised by members of the public working as the ‘Emergency
Disaster Network’ have set up collection points for donations at various points
across the city for patients at the Mbabane Government Hospital. Food items,
ranging from bags of beans, rice, chicken portions and sugar have been
collected, the Swazi
Observer reported. Cash donations have also been made. Food shortages had also hit two other public hospitals, Hlatikhulu Government Hospital and Nhlangano
Health Centre, both in the Shiselweni Region.
See also
Swaziland cancer patients refused treatment because
Govt. has not paid hospital bills
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/07/swaziland-cancer-patients-refused.html
More deaths in Swaziland as govt fails to pay medicine suppliers
More deaths in Swaziland as govt fails to pay medicine suppliers
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/05/more-deaths-in-swaziland-as-government.html
Food collection points set up in Swaziland as hospital patients unfed after Govt fails to pay suppliers
Food collection points set up in Swaziland as hospital patients unfed after Govt fails to pay suppliers
https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2019/07/food-collection-points-set-up-in.html
HIV drugs not available across Swaziland as health crisis deepens
HIV drugs not available across Swaziland as health crisis deepens
Swaziland
health crisis getting worse as budgets cut. Rural areas most affected
Swaziland
health crisis: fearful psychiatric nurses say they might release patients
No comments:
Post a Comment