Eswatini News

As the COVID-19 pandemic enters the third year, there is a need for building resilient border health systems to curb the international spread of diseases. The Joint External Evaluation (JEE) of the implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR) 2005 which was conducted in 2018 across 19 technical areas revealed limited capacity and major gaps under the Points of Entry. This poses a great risk of the international spread of diseases between Eswatini and neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique as well as other countries in Southern Africa.

The Kingdom of Eswatini joined the rest of the world in commemorating World Patient Safety Day 2021. The country has been commemorating this day every year since its inception in 2019. The country embraces the principle that in delivering patient care, the first step is “do no harm”.

The Kingdom of Eswatini successfully hosted an inaugural virtual national health research conference from 26 to 27 August 2021.

“I didn’t think that I could get COVID out here in my village,” says Linda Simelane at her home in Sibebe in rural Eswatini.

“I stay away from people, I stay alone, but it happened that I started getting flu symptoms.” 

At the peak of Africa’s first wave of infections in mid-2020, Ms Simelane’s son took her to get tested for COVID-19, but as she waited for her results at home, her condition rapidly deteriorated.

The Kingdom of Eswatini joined the rest of the world in commemorating World TB Day 2021.

On Saturday 13 March, the Kingdom of Eswatini had become one of the African countries that received the COVID 19 vaccine through the COVAX facility. This is indeed a major milestone in the fight against COVID 19. It is also a major step towards ensuring equitable access to COVID 19 vaccine in the country.

The Minister of Health, Honourable Lizzie Nkosi opened the second consultative workshop for improving access to affordable vaccines for Middle Income Countries (MICs) in Africa, at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre in Ezulwini on 30 October 2019. This meeting, organised by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Office for Africa is attended by stakeholders involved in the procurement and use of vaccines from seven Middle Income  Countries in  African. 

The World Health Organization (WHO), World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Swaziland Animal Welfare Society collaborated with the Government of Eswatini in commemorating the World Rabies Day 2019. The Ministry of Agriculture through the Veterinary Department together with the Ministry of Health, Eswatini Royal Police, other government sectors and the Malindza community in the Lubombo region held a community event to mark the World Rabies Day. The event included a march in the community, speeches and edutainment.