The House of Assembly in Swaziland (eSwatini) has demanded
immediate action from the government as hunger spreads across the kingdom
and doctors and nurses continue to be without vital personal protective
equipment (PPE) during the present coronavirus crisis.
Swaziland has been
in a partial lockdown since 27 March 2020 with many businesses closed, bans
on large gatherings and travel restrictions.
News has emerged of whole communities who have no work
and no way of getting food. Hospitals do not have personal protection equipment
such as face masks, gloves and gowns.
As of 21 April 2020 one
person had died from coronavirus and 31 tested
positive.
Members of parliament in the absolute monarchy ruled
by King Mswati III demanded an urgent report from government on how it intended
to deal with the crisis. They want food parcels to be sent to the hungry and masks
and hand sanitisers to be made available to the public.
They also voiced concerns about how money set aside to
tackle coronavirus (COVID-19) had been spent. Some parliamentarians were
reported to have been part of businesses who tendered for contracts to supply
goods. In the past groups such as Transparency International have reported high
levels of corruption in Swaziland.
The House of Assembly threatened to move a vote of no
confidence in the government which in Swaziland is not elected but
handpicked by King Mswati. In particular they were concerned that the
government was giving preferential treatment to certain people and using the Bethel
Court Hotel in Ezulwini as a quarantine centre. Other people were expected to
use Lubombo Referral Hospital and the TB Centre in Manzini.
In recent days the Swazi media have reported cases of
severe hunger across Swaziland. Out-of-work textile workers in Kwaluseni township were said to be
facing ‘imminent
death from hunger’.
People living on the border of Swaziland and South
Africa around Lavumisa who usually travelled into South Africa
for food and work had been stopped from doing so by Swazi soldiers because there
is a coronavirus lockdown in South Africa. They were reported
to be ‘struggling
to stay alive, with virtually nothing to eat’.
Meanwhile. the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union
(SWADNU) is consulting with lawyers about
suing the government for gross negligence in failing to supply nurses at
Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) hospital and all health care workers across the
country with adequate protection. A nurse at RFM died of the coronavirus and at
least
26 healthcare workers at the hospital are in
self-isolation.
The union has already called for the hospital
to be temporarily closed so that all healthcare workers can be tested and
wards fumigated.
Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of a National Emergency Task Force set
up to tackle coronavirus Themba Masuku denied the government was to blame for
the shortage of equipment. He said there was an international shortage affecting
most countries.
He told a press
briefing Swaziland had no capability to manufacture PPE but he had appealed
to local companies to produce face masks.
See also
People
face ‘imminent death from hunger’ in Swaziland as coronavirus lockdown hits
poorest
Swaziland
nurses’ union calls for closure of major hospital in fight against coronavirus
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