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Friday 3 May 2024

Swaziland Newsletter No. 825 – 3 May 2024

 

Swaziland Newsletter No. 825 – 3 May 2024

News from and about Swaziland, compiled by Global Aktion, Denmark (www.globalaktion.dk) in collaboration with Swazi Media Commentary (www.swazimedia.blogspot.com), and sent to all with an interest in Swaziland - free of charge.

 

May Day drama: PM denied platform to address workers, leaves

By Nonduduzo Kunene, Timothy Simelane and Siboniso Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 2 May 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini left the Prince of Wales Sports Ground unceremoniously after he was denied the opportunity to address workers during the Workers’ Day celebration yesterday.

So hostile were the workers that police had to fire a stun grenade to deter them from coming too close to the PM’s motorcade, as he was hurriedly whisked away from the Prince of Wales.
Dlamini’s attendance of the May Day commemoration was groundbreaking, in that it was a first for the country for the head of government to grace a Workers’ Day celebration. He was in the company of the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Phila Buthelezi and Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs Jane Simelane. Just before he was invited to address the thousands of workers, the sound system was disconnected and when senior police officers went to enquire, they were told to back off.

At that stage, the event had been taken over by the workers, while the union executive committee members were kept at bay. The uncontrollable workers chanted slogans and danced close to the tent where the PM and his dignitaries were seated. Police had to form a human barrier to prevent them from getting close to the Cabinet members. Police officers, who are members of the PM’s security detail, were seen frequently communicating with the PM, purportedly on the status of his safety. He kept his calm, until a few missiles started flying from the workers. Soon, thereafter, he rose from his feet and wade way to his motorcade. The departure of the PM cut short the 2024 Trade Union Congress of Swaziland (TUCOSWA)-organised May Day commemoration, leaving some workers dissatisfied. In the two hours that the PM graced the event, he had to stomach insults and unpalatable words that were uttered by some of the speakers who are members of political parties, as they were offered a platform to address the workers.

To read more of this report, click here

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144903-may-day-drama-pm-denied-platform-to-address-workers-leaves.html

See also

PM, ministers abandon celebrations

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22404

 

Over 2 000 paramedics jobless 10 years later

By Nokuzola Thwala, eSwatini Observer, 26 April 2024

SOURCE 

Over 2 000 interned paramedics are said to be unemployed 10 years after completing their training.

Other paramedics have never worked since they completed training. Some of the paramedics were self-sponsored while others were trained at the taxpayer’s expense.  

This was revealed by Eswatini Unemployed Paramedics Chairman, Mduduzi Mabuza, after a closed door meeting at Nkhanini Hall yesterday.

Mabuza, who was interviewed after the meeting, said the unemployment rate increases annually because over 80 paramedics qualify and graduate.

He emphasised their importance as paramedics, stating that they get to accident scenes first and at times reach where nurses could not.

The chairman added that their livehood was affected as some have families had responsibilities, and some were supposed to be breadwinners, but instead, became a burden.

He narrated how life was hard for them, hence the need for a quick permanent intervention.
Mabuza also noted that the interned unemployed paramedics differ in qualifications, but their work did not.

He said the country could benchmark with neighbouring countries so that they emulate them by having policies in place that would have mines industries and more interned paramedics.
Emphasising, he called for government’s intervention whether directly or indirectly while noting that they collectively decided to engage the National Public Services and Allied Workers Union (NAPSAWU) moving forward.

“Some have interned from 2014 until the year 2020 in the government sector.
“We have over 600 unemployed paramedics as of last year and this number increases annually as about 80 graduate after training annually,” he said.

To read more of this report, click here

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22377

 

Shocker: 1,109 pregnant teens visit clinics in 3 months

By Siboniso Nkambule, Times of eSwatini, 26 April 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: An astounding number of pregnant teenagers visited public health facilities in the past three months.

Statistics have revealed that the number of teenagers who visited health facilities for their first antenatal care (ANC) appointments in the last three months was 1 109. These include three 12-year-old pre-teenagers. Four of the teenagers were 13 years old, 29 were aged 14 years and a total of 82 were 15 year olds.

These statistics, according to the Ministry of Health, suggest a worrying trend that must be addressed through concerted efforts. The Top Doctor’s website defines antenatal care or ANC as the care a woman receives while pregnant, to ensure that both mother and baby are healthy. It involves regular check-ups with a doctor or midwife, with scans, screenings and blood tests to check on the development of the baby and identify any health problems in either mother or child that could cause problems.

The Health Promotional Officer in the Ministry of Health, Calvin Dlamini, said this painted a worrying picture, as they were still in their first quarter.  Dlamini said recording such numbers in the first quarter meant that by the end of the year, the numbers would have increased.

He said last year, they recorded an overall total of 4 469 teenagers who made their first ANC visit. According to Dlamini, 1 179 came from the Hhohho Region, 1 073 from the Lubombo Region, 1 156 from the Manzini Region, and 1 061 teenagers were from the Shiselweni Region. Dlamini stated that in the past three months, from January to March, a total of 154 teenagers aged 16 years, 228 aged 17 years old, 297 who were 18 years old, and 312 aged 19 years, made their first ANC visit in various health facilities.

To read more of this report. Click here

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144821-shocker-1-109-pregnant-teens-visit-clinics-in-3-months.html

See also

1,109 teen pregnancies: DPM springs into action

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144861-1-109-teen-pregnancies-dpm-springs-into-action.html

 

Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula amplifies Cabinet lies on health crisis as multibillion politically connected thieves protected, says drugs delivered

By Zweli Martin Dlamini, Swaziland News, 26 April, 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: Mduduzi Matsebula, the Minister of Health has amplified Cabinet lies amid the ongoing health crisis and/or shortage of drugs in public hospitals.

This comes after Commerce Minister Mancoba Khumalo, the then  Chairman of the Health Crisis Cabinet Select Committee promised that by January 2024, the health crisis would be over and Government would have long delivered drugs.

But what happened thereafter, Cabinet including the Health Minister embarked on a publicity drive, touring the Mbabane Government hospital on what was described as a fact finding mission to assess the situation.

A few boxes that did not fill-up the shelves at the Central Medical Stores were delivered at the end of January 2024 and a publicity stunt was activated again to claim drugs “have been delivered”, in the process, hundreds are dying in public hospitals amid shortage of drugs. 

In an attempt to evade accountability as this publication is consistently publishing and exposing the health crisis, Government then banned public officials from responding to this Swaziland News.

Cabinet touring Mbabane Government Hospital


“The Ministry is working round the clock to resolve this issue. The Nation is assured that stocks of medicines and medical supplies are gradually being received”, said the Health Minister through the statement released on Thursday.

On another note, despite a forensic report released by Funduzi Forensic Services that exposed suppliers companies linked to SwaziPharm Director Kareem Ashraff, businesswoman Zinhle Matsebula and irregularities in the Procument Department, no arrests have been made as the suspects are allegedly linked to the Health Minister, Prime Minister (PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini and King Mswati.

The health crisis was triggered by the widely reported and ongoing rampant corruption in public administration and royal extravagant spending.

See also

RFM kidney patients suffering at MBA Govt hospital

http://www.times.co.sz/news/144835-rfm-kidney-patients-suffering-at-mba-govt-hospital.html

RFM medical staff in go-slow

http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22380

 

How communities led in the HIV response, saving lives in eSwatini at the peak of a crippling AIDS epidemic

UNAIDS, 24 April 2024

SOURCE 

Eswatini is one of the countries which has been most affected by HIV. At the peak of the epidemic in 2015, almost one out of three people were living with HIV. In 1995, when there was no antiretroviral treatment for people living with HIV, 73 000 people were living with HIV. 2400 people died of AIDS that year. Worried about the rising number of infections and deaths, communities of people living with HIV mobilized to press that antiretroviral treatment be made available for people living with HIV.

One of the key campaigners for access was Hannie Dlamini. Dlamini is now 50 years old and has been living with HIV for 32 years, after finding out about his HIV positive status at the age of 18. He was one of the first people in Eswatini to publicly declare his positive HIV status in 1995 at a time when the stigma and misinformation around HIV was rife.

Dlamini rallied together other people living with HIV as well as non-governmental organizations working to end AIDS in Eswatini, to ensure that everyone living with HIV and in need of treatment had access to it. They formed a community-led organization called Swaziland AIDS Support Organization (SASO) as a support group for people living with HIV. SASO also provided healthy living information for people living with HIV.

“When we asked the government [in 2002] for ARVs in Eswatini we did a pilot project with NECHA [National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS], to see if people would use the drugs.” Dlamini says the response was overwhelming, with many people keen to start the lifesaving treatment. “We initially planned to enrol 200 people on treatment but the demand was 630.” said Dlamini.

Today, Eswatini is one of the countries which has achieved the ambitious 95-95-95 targets (95% of people living with HIV who know their HIV status, 95% of people who know that they are living with HIV are on life-saving antiretroviral treatment, and 95% of people who are on treatment are virally suppressed). This achievement has put the country a step closer to ending AIDS as a public health threat, thanks to the work of community-led organizations, authorities and global partners like UNAIDS, the United States President's Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB and Malaria who are working with the government and local communities to end AIDS.

Eswatini’s HIV response strategy includes ongoing nationwide testing and treatment campaigns, use of self-testing kits to encourage more people to take up testing at the comfort of their homes, antiretroviral treatment, male circumcision and pre-exposure prophylaxis (medicine to prevent HIV) and other prevention measures. Community organizations such as Kwakha Indvodza are also key in encouraging men to take full responsibility for their wellbeing and reducing toxic masculinity and gender-based violence which are some of the drivers of HIV.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2024/april/20240425_eswatini

 

Textile firm lays off 200 workers

by Andile Langwenya, Independent News (Swaziland), 30 April 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: Government’s job creation plans are facing a significant setback as close to 200 workers were recently laid off from a textile firm.

Juries Manufacturing in Nhlangano has blamed the latest action to orders drying up.

Management of the company said they tried to make arrangements but failed to save the jobs of the affected workers and further explained that future orders were unpredictable.

The apparel company employs around 1050 workers at the moment.

Investigations by the Independent News discovered that about 180 workers were laid off from the company around October last year, sparking off a labour dispute between the garment factory and the labour union looking after the welfare of textile industry workers, the Amalgamated Trade Union of Swaziland (ATUSWA). The dispute has already been reported at the Conciliation Mediation & Arbitration Commission, where the matter is pending.

The situation has had a very devastating effect on the affected workers.

Most of these workers have not been receiving their salaries or lay-off wages for the past five months, making the lives of the families of the affected individuals miserable. Difficulties facing the families include the disruption of the education of the children.

To read more of this report, click here

https://independentnews.co.sz/local-news/10188/textile-firm-lays-off-200-workers/

 

Expanding vaccination reach through integrated services in eSwatini

World Health Organization, 30 April 2024

SOURCE 

MBABANE: It was an enormous relief to mother Jabumkhaliphi Sifundza when her ten-year-old daughter, Nozweno, was vaccinated against human papillomavirus (HPV). She’d heard about the vaccine on social media and wanted to do everything possible to protect Nozweno from cervical cancer.

Alongside Eswatini’s efforts to vaccinate girls like Nozweno during immunization drives in schools, the government is leveraging the opportunity to simultaneously vaccinate the boys against COVID-19 in an innovative advance towards integrating these vaccines into routine immunization.

High HPV rates in the country are fuelled by high HIV rates, driving up cervical cancer case numbers and deaths. As of 18 April, Eswatini has, with the support of partners including World Health Organization (WHO), vaccinated over 50 000 girls in schools, with a national coverage of 64.3% 

Meanwhile, although the emergency phase of COVID-19 is over, the virus continues to spread and endanger people’s lives. In Eswatini, integration of COVID-19 vaccination into other health programmes, including HPV immunization, chronic diseases and HIV, is high on its health agenda after the recent release of the country’s COVID-19 Vaccine Post-Introduction Evaluation by the Ministry of Health.

“Expanding access to preventative vaccines is vital to improve health and survival, as well as to lay the foundation for countries to reach every person with the basic health services they need to thrive. This dual immunization effort in our schools is an excellent example of optimizing our resources to boost overall vaccine coverage,” says Hon Mduduzi Matsebula, Eswatini’s Minister of Health.

The report says that while Eswatini did well to achieve COVID-19 vaccine coverage of above 70% among people 40 years and older, overall coverage as a proportion of the general population remained low, at 36.9%, at the end of June 2023. For younger people, aged between 12 and 39, coverage remained low at below 50%, negatively impacting the country’s efforts to meet WHO’s global 70% target.

To read more of this report, click here

https://www.afro.who.int/countries/eswatini/news/expanding-vaccination-reach-through-integrated-services-eswatini

 

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