Swaziland / eSwatini which
has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world has only four months stock
of life-saving ARV drugs, as the health system in the kingdom continues to disintegrate.
The government of the
kingdom ruled by absolute monarch King Mswati III has not paid drug suppliers
because it is broke.
The shortage was revealed
to members of the Ministry of Health Portfolio Committee when they toured the
kingdom’s Central Medical Stores (CMS) in Matsapha which houses
Swaziland’s medical supplies.
Principal Secretary in the
Ministry of Health, Dr Simon Zwane, said ARVs were available but not in
adequate supply. They preferred to have stock for seven months.
The Times of Swaziland reported
CMS Deputy Director Themba Motsa said government allocated about E270 million
for ARVs supply, but the Ministry of Finance released only E68 million which
was paid to the various suppliers.
The newspaper added, ‘He
said the paid amount did not even cover the E100 million owed by the Ministry
of Health to the suppliers. This, he said meant that the ministry was able to
use the available resources to partly pay the suppliers, but there was still no
funds to beef up the supply of ARVs.’
Chairman of the Ministry of
Health Portfolio Committee, Mduduzi ‘Small Joe’ Dlamini said the Ministry of
Health also suffered fuel shortages.
Swaziland Positive Living (SWAPOL)
Director Siphiwe Hlophe said, ‘This is a disaster.’ She said Swaziland must prioritise
buying ARVs. She added she had received reports that some clinics were
allegedly rolling out expired ARVs to patients, especially those who were ignorant.
Hlophe said, ‘Does the
country want us to die because if the shortage continues, a number of people
will relapse.’ She said Swaziland would go back to a time where funerals were
being held in every corner.
Swaziland has the highest
rate of HIV infection in the world. As
of 2017, 27 percent of
the population, or 210,000 people, were infected. There were reportedly 7,000
new infections in that year.
Swaziland’s health system
is in meltdown mainly because the government, which is not elected but
appointed by King Mswati III, has not paid suppliers.
Medicines of all sorts have run out in public
hospitals and health clinics across Swaziland. Local media reported in the past
that many people, including children, have
died as a result.
Hospital equipment, including at intensive-care units,
has not been maintained and cannot be used. In September 2018 it was reported Mbabane
Government Hospital was unable to feed its patients because it had no
money. There are 500 beds at the hospital. Hlatikhulu Government Hospital faced a
similar problem in February 2019.
In June 2018 it was revealed there were only
12 working public ambulances in the whole of Swaziland because the
government failed to maintain them. It had bought no new ambulances since 2013.
See also
Swaziland
health crisis getting worse as budgets cut. Rural areas most affected
Medicine shortage: five die
Report:
patients die as Swaziland government hospital runs out of cash
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