Swaziland Newsletter No. 852 – 8 November
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.
eSwatini
ranking in Mo Ibrahim governance report worsening
Emmanuel
Ndlangamandla, Times of eSwatini, 4 November 2024
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation released the 2024 Ibrahim
Index of African Governance (IIAG), the latest iteration of the biennial
dataset assessing governance performance and trends in the 54 African countries
over the decade 2014-2023.
…. Eswatini governance, unfortunately, is among the
deteriorating countries. To this end, Eswatini’s overall Governance score
has deteriorated over the last decade (2014-2023) and has done so at an
accelerated pace over the most recent five years (2019-2023). With a score of
44.5 (out of 100.0), Eswatini ranks 35th (out of 54) in overall Governance in
2023. It is critical that the current Administration led by His Excellency
Russell Dlamini and Parliament should analyse this report and take measures to
improve the worse performing areas. Without good governance, emaSwati
will continue to suffer!
To read the full report, click here
eSwatini health campaign bundles HPV vaccination with
other critical interventions in schools
By Nonduduzo Kunene, VaccinesWork, 31 October 2024
Eswatini's EPI chief Xolisiwe
Dlamini tells VaccinesWork that the first-of-its kind initiative is all about
making the most of the resources at the small country’s disposal.
In the chilly middle months of
this year, the largest vaccination initiative Eswatini has seen in three years
brought both human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccines and COVID-19 jabs onto 900
school campuses, with mobile health teams also folding in a deworming blitz and
nutrition survey.
Expanded Programme on
Immunization (EPI) director Xolisiwe Dlamini told VaccinesWork that
the campaign’s patchwork structure reflected the tiny southern African
country’s determination to do “the most” with the resources at their disposal.
At the height of the effort,
said Dlamini, 300 health workers, split into 65 volunteer-supported teams, were
out vaccinating thousands of girls against HPV, the cause of the vast majority
of cases of cervical cancer worldwide, and kids of both sexes against COVID-19.
Between vaccines, dewormers and nutritional supplements, the aim was to reach a
total of 300,000 students. Final numbers are still being collated following the
campaign’s close in mid-October, but Dlamini indicates that early analysis
suggest more than 70% of the target was achieved.
Launched in June by Minister
of Health Mduduzi Matsebula, it is a collaboration between the Ministries of
Health and Education.
The campaign brought critical
health care interventions to the learners at both primary and high school
levels. Girls aged 9–14 years are the target group for HPV vaccination, while
children 12 years and older were eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. All pupils
were offered deworming. Kids aged 6–19 years were given nutritional supplements
“as per need”, Dlamini explained.
The integrated campaign is of
a second act. In 2023, Eswatini launched the HPV Vaccine in Schools campaign,
designed to reach 30,000 girls between 9 and 14 years old with the
cancer-blocking shot. That experience appears to have taught agenda-setters that
sending health teams onto school grounds is an opportunity not to be
squandered.
“The deworming service aims to
address bilharzia and soil-transmitted parasitic intestinal worms that cause
various diseases. These parasitic diseases cause significant deaths worldwide,
particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. In a previous mapping exercise, it was
revealed that 15% of school-going children were infected with bilharzia disease
and 5.6% of school-going children were infected with soil-transmitted
diseases,” said Dlamini.
“The services are free, and
they are an effort by the government to ensure that Eswatini’s future is filled
with emaSwati who are healthy, educated and productive.”
To read more of
this report, click here
Over 2 000 children surviving on one meal a day
By Sabelo Gwebu, eSwatini News, 2 November 2024
MALKERNS: A community tells a
different story in the fast-improving town of Malkerns.
The Mangozeni Township,
nestled in this small town known for its vibrant pineapple farms and scenic
landscapes, shows a picture of hardship, neglect and the daily struggle for
survival. The township is home to over 2 000 children under nine and is facing
a crisis that demands urgent attention from both local authorities and
non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
As local Social Motivator
Dumile Maphalala recorded, over 2 000 children depend on a soup kitchen meal
for survival. Mangozeni is less than 600 square metres in size, but because of
the situation, two soup kitchens, Great Commission and Malkerns Soup Kitchen,
have set up base. The biggest struggle now is what to feed the hungry mouths.
“The biggest challenge of
Mangozeni is the frequent pregnancies. Most of these children stay with either
one of their parents, and most are unemployed. “The only job for the
residents is seasonal, which is working at Swazi Can during the citrus season,”
Maphalala said. Mangozeni is characterised by its poor living conditions,
where families grapple with extreme poverty and limited access to essential
resources like electricity and water.
Water is available at E1
Lilangeni per 20 litres, but some households cannot afford that. For many
residents, a daily meal is a luxury, while a mere E20 for bread is as scarce as
water in the Kalahari Desert. The community’s reliance on these soup kitchens
highlights the urgent need for food security and, most importantly, social
support. Maphalala, a dedicated social motivator in the township, is vocal
about the alarming issues facing the township. She points out that Mangozeni is
grappling with a high rate of teenage pregnancies and a growing population.
The lack of employment
opportunities in the area has created a desperate situation, leading many
mothers to allegedly turn to sex work as a means of survival. With most
jobs in the town tied to the seasonal demands of the pineapple farms, work is
often irregular and insufficient to meet the needs of families. “This
precarious economic situation leaves little room for parental engagement,
further exacerbating the challenges faced by the children.
“The impact of poverty on
child development is profound, and the children of Mangozeni are no exception,”
Maphalala lamented. She continued that without proper care and
supervision, these young lives are at risk of falling into cycles of neglect
and deprivation. She added that as social workers, they are deeply concerned
about the long-term implications of such neglect, which can hinder children’s
physical, emotional and cognitive development. “One of the pressing issues
facing Mangozeni is the lack of birth certificates for many children.
“The parents, mostly
teenagers, do not understand that registration is a critical step in ensuring
that children have access to essential services, such as education and
healthcare,” she added. Visibly, the situation in Mangozeni is a
small-scale, broader societal issue faced by many communities in the
country. While the government has made strides in addressing poverty and
improving social welfare, the challenges faced by the township residents
highlight the need for more targeted interventions.
To read more of
this report, click here
http://www.times.co.sz/news/147856-over-2-000-children-surviving-on-one-meal-a-day.html
More emaSwati dying of snake bites amid shortage of
drugs in public hospitals
By Musa Mdluli, Swaziland News, 1 November,
2024
MBABANE: More emaSwati are
reportedly dying of snake bites amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals and,
with the antivenom medication being found only at the Luke Commission.
This means any citizen who
might be attacked by snakes in areas far away from the Luke Commission, might
die along the way while being transported to the health facility, a person
bitten by a Black Mamba normally collapse within a few minutes.
A questionnaire was sent to
Health Minister Mduduzi Matsebula, however, he had not responded at the time of
compiling this report.
Reached for comments on Friday
afternoon, Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General(SG) of the Swaziland
Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) confirmed that, the whole country is facing
shortage of antivenom, a medication for snake bites.
“It’s true, the whole country
is facing shortage of antivenom”, he said.
It has been disclosed that, a
relative of a prominent public figure “is among those who recently died” of
snakes bite amid shortage of the antivenom.
Eswatini is facing a worsening
health crisis triggered by royal extravagant spending and corruption in the
public administration, dozens have died since the crisis erupted.
HIV prevalence
high among disabled in eSwatini - FODSWA
By Musa
Simelane, eSwatini Observer, 3 November 2024
Persons with disabilities face
a heightened risk of HIV infections in the country as they are vulnerable to
sexual violation and are largely excluded from HIV/AIDS educational outreach
programmes.
This highlight was made by
Bongani Makama, President of the Federation of Organisations of Disabled
Persons in Swaziland (FODSWA) at the World AIDS Day 2024 commemoration launch
at St Joseph’s Primary School (Mzimpofu).
This year’s global theme is
‘Take the Rights Path’, which has been localised to: Nkwe! Eswatini Take the
Rights Path to End AIDS.
He said females, especially
those with cerebral palsy, have a high HIV prevalence since they are taken
advantage of by shady elements in the communities, who capitalise on the fact
that they cannot talk and have physical and cognitive challenges.
This leads to cases of sexual
assault and, ultimately, increased rates of HIV transmission. Some even end up
pregnant unknowingly, and cannot communicate effectively or identify the
culprits.
“Persons with disabilities are
also more vulnerable to HIV and AIDS due to a range of factors, including
limited access to education and healthcare, heightened discrimination, and,
often, a lack of tailored outreach and support. This is particularly concerning,
as persons with disabilities represent a population that, historically, has
been under served in health programmes,” explained Makama.
To read more of
this report, click here
http://new.observer.org.sz/details.php?id=22924
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