Swaziland U-turn on use of AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine

The Swaziland (eSwatini) Government has done an about turn and decided to halt purchases of the controversial AstraZeneca coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine.

Many counties across the world have suspended use of the vaccine after reports that it could cause blood clots.

The Swazi Government had said it would continue to use AstraZeneca. Now, according to a media report in Swaziland, it will not use the AstraZeneca vaccine for now.

The Times of eSwatini reported, ‘Following the latest findings that the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine was less effective against the South African COVID-19 variant, South Africa stopped the enrolment of the vaccine. 

‘The eSwatini Ministry of Health also decided to halt buying the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine because of the close proximity between eSwatini and South Africa while still doing studies to determine how much of the variant is in local shores.’

Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi said Swaziland was turning to the Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer BioNTech vaccines.

The Times quoted Nkosi saying, ‘The country did not totally depend on the Oxford AstraZeneca.’

World Health Organisation Health Promotion Officer Dr Kevin Makadzange said it also advised the delay of securing the Oxford AstraZeneca vaccine until a risk benefit assessment was completed.

‘A country should make tests, to assess the probability of the South African variants against the COVID-19 known strains. If the probability of having the South African variant is low, then they could consider using the Oxford AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines,’ Dr Makadzange said.

On Wednesday (17 March 2021) the Swazi Government released photographs of Nkosi being vaccinated with the AstraZeneca vaccine.

See also

Swaziland continues to use AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, despite global health scare 

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/03/swaziland-continues-to-use-astrazeneca.html

 

Swaziland plea to WHO for urgent help as coronavirus deaths out of control

Swaziland (eSwatini) has sent an urgent plea to the World Health Organisation (WHO) for help in getting through the coronavirus crisis as deaths continue to rise.

Swazi Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi has written requesting for an International Emergency Medical Team to work in the kingdom for at least four weeks. 

She said Swaziland needed critical care physicians, critical care nurses, biomedical technicians and epidemiologists. She wanted people in place by 15 January 2021.

She said the kingdom faced unprecedented public health challenges because of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Swaziland was going through a second wave and the number of deaths was double that of the first wave.

On Wednesday (13 January 2021) she announced a further 13 deaths bringing the total so far to 332. According to official Ministry of Health figures, there have been a total of 12,124 positive cases since the crisis started. The population of Swaziland is about 1.1 million people.

In her letter to the WHO Nkosi wrote, ‘The high number of new cases has resulted in health systems that are now overstretched, including a severe shortage of oxygen supply to the people who need it. The second wave is also resulting in more client admissions as a majority of the clients are presenting with symptoms, which rapidly progress to severe and critical illness. Furthermore, the capacity to manage critically ill patients is not adequate in the face of the rapidly rising numbers of patients presenting with severe illness.’

She added, ‘The country now has 11 COVID-19 treatment centres, nine public and two private with a total bed capacity of 437. Bed occupancy rate is rising every week. The country has 29 beds for critical care with all 29 occupied, giving an occupancy rate of 100 percent.’

 

See also

Big rises in coronavirus cases predicted in Swaziland by month’s end

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/01/big-rises-in-coronavirus-cases.html

Swaziland bans all gatherings as Govt. struggles to stem rise in coronavirus deaths https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2021/01/swaziland-bans-all-gatherings-as-govt.html

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Delay in reopening Swaziland schools as coronavirus cases continue to rise

The reopening of schools in Swaziland (eSwatini) is to be delayed because the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise.

Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini said there was ‘panic’ among many Swazi people ‘following the drastic increase in the number of COVID-19 confirmed cases in the Kingdom’. There had been 93 positive cases reported in the past week.

As of 11 June 2020 there had been three deaths and 449 positive cases recorded by the Ministry of Health.

Dlamini had previously announced a phased reopening of schools from 1 July. In a statement on 11 June he announced this would be put back to 6 July.

He said, ‘The events of the past week, however, have necessitated that Government reviews the decision of opening schools to ensure that all necessary precautions and preparations are in place before teachers and our children get back to class in a safely manner.’

Swaziland has been in partial lockdown since 27 March. In parts of the kingdom many businesses have been allowed to reopen with health restrictions. Gatherings of more than 20 people remain banned and people are urged to keep off the streets unless their journey is essential.

Dlamini said, ‘While the decision to reopen was based on the premise that our economy cannot stay in lockdown forever, we cannot in any way let up on the precautionary guidelines in this fight. It is of paramount importance that while we gradually reopen the economy, we still take individual responsibility for our health.’

On Thursday (11 June 2020) it was reported that Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi went into self-isolation after her secretary tested positive for coronavirus. Nkosi was tested and found to be negative.

See also

Work still to be done before Swaziland schools open after coronavirus lockdown

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/06/work-still-to-be-done-before-swaziland.html

Swaziland King in self-isolation over coronavirus threat, more cases confirmed

King Mswati III, the absolute monarch of Swaziland (eSwatini), is in self-isolation due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Lusendvo Fakudze, the Ludzidzini Palace Governor, confirmed this to the Swaziland News, an online newspaper.

Fakudze said no one was allowed to see the King. He would not comment on reports circulating on social media that King Mswati was no longer in Swaziland.

Meanwhile, the Swazi Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi reported that three more people in the kingdom had tested positive for the virus, also known as covid-19. The known total of positive cases is four. One person who earlier tested positive has since recovered.

In a statement Nkosi said 37 test results had been received. Swaziland has no resources and tests have to be sent to neighbouring South Africa for analysis. The population of Swaziland is about 1.3 million people.

Nurses, doctors and other healthcare workers continue to refuse to treat patients in hospitals and clinics until they get personal protection equipment such as masks, gloves and gowns. They also lack soap, paper towels and hand sanitisers in toilets and consultation rooms. 

Among the facilities affected are Mbabane Government Hospital, Mankayane, Mkhuzeni, Raleigh Fitkin Memorial hospitals and Lobamba Clinic.

The Swazi Government said money had been made available to buy equipment and it now was waiting for suppliers to tender for purchase contracts. No date has been announced for the equipment to arrive at hospitals and clinics.

King Mswati has already declared a state of emergency and schools, colleges and universities are closed. Gatherings of 50 or more people are banned and travel restrictions are in place.

On Monday (23 March 2020) Minister of Tinkhundla Administration David Ngcamphalala said, ‘Government has observed with disappointment that gatherings are continuing as usual. We request communities to adhere to the set guidelines during community gatherings such as weddings, funerals, community meetings, church services and family gatherings.’

He added police would be sent to enforce the ban on gatherings if requested by regional administrators.

See also

Coronavirus: Swaziland hospitals in crisis, PM forms emergency task groups

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/coronavirus-swaziland-hospitals-in.html

 

Swaziland hospital thrown into confusion as suspected coronavirus patient admitted

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-hospital-thrown-into.html
 

Swaziland nurses refuse to treat patients until they get protective equipment

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-nurses-refuse-to-treat.html
 

Swaziland King declares state of emergency over coronavirus. Schools closed, foreign travel suspended

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-king-declares-state-of.html

Swaziland teachers’ union calls for all schools, colleges and universities to close in wake of coronavirus

The Swaziland National Association of Teachers has urged the Swazi government to temporarily close all schools, colleges and universities while a strategy is found to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

In a statement widely circulated on social media on Thursday (12 March 2020) the trade union said it was worried ‘at the lack of preparedness on the part of the Government to fight against the virus’. 

It predicted many deaths unless the government took action.

It said, ‘The SNAT is worried about the fact that no measures have been put to fight back this spectre, particularly in public places such as towns, cities and schools. Precautionary measures have not been adequately put in place and that is a serious cause for concern.’

As of 13 March 2020 no confirmed cases of coronavirus had been reported in Swaziland (eSwatini) but at least two people were being tested. The number of confirmed cases in neighbouring South Africa is growing.

The SNAT statement added, ‘Our weak health systems surely lack the prerequisite capacity to deal with such, should the deadly virus make a landfall within our borders. The government, until now, has not identified even a single fully-capacitated hospital that is ready to address such cases, should they be confirmed.’

It called on the government to declare a national disaster. ‘Certain strategies must be put in place: such as temporary closure of schools, colleges and universities whilst adaptation and mitigation strategies are being considered.’

Separately, on Thursday Minister of Health Lizzie Nkosi told the Swaziland Senate that everyone was at ‘high risk’.

She said the government was investigating what to do with big events where a large number of people will be present. 

She said, ‘We also have to decide what we are going to do with schools, are we going to close them or not.’ The Swazi cabinet was due to meet on Thursday evening.

Meanwhile, the Times of eSwatini reported on Friday there were calls for government to consider banning foreign nationals from entering the kingdom and to shut down the ports of entry to minimise the risk of spreading coronavirus.

These were submissions made by the National Disaster Management Agency stakeholders who included the health, water and sanitation, education and agriculture food security sectors. 

See also

Swaziland closes informal border crossings as coronavirus strikes South Africa

https://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2020/03/swaziland-closes-informal-border.html