Africa-Press – Eswatini. A large number of Emaswati studying medicine in Zambia have been given hope for jobs when they return home.
His Majesty King Mswati III informed the medical students that the Health Sector Strategy was targeted at not only increasing the number of health facilities but also localising all specialised medical services.
The King shared that two major health projects were in the planning stage and these include a referral hospital and Centre for Disease Control (CDC) offices.
“These facilities will need your expertise,” he said, much to the applause of the students, who met the king on Sunday evening at the Paj Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka.
The students had an opportunity to introduce themselves to His Majesty the King and Inkhosikati LaMagongo, who are in the country on a State visit.
“I am here after opening two major health facilities. We don’t just want more; we want bigger and better facilities that offer the specialised treatment that is currently being sought outside the country. This is why we are in the design phase of the planned referral hospital to be built in the country,” he said.
His Majesty said the facility would need the expertise of the students, whom he urged to specialise in various parts of their profession.
He further revealed that the country was in talks to develop a Centre for Disease Control with the assistance of the American Government.
Stage
“We are at the design stage of constructing a specialised referral hospital and want all cases to be treated there without referral to other countries. Extensive research to make it one of the best in the world is on-going,” said the King and emphasised that the country would need highly qualified nurses and doctors.
He also noted that diseases had become more complicated, which required tapping into technology to overcome them.
“We have met the Americans sent by USA President Joe Biden and entered into agreements with PEPFAR on this centre. It needs analysts and scientists. These days, there is a review of how COVID-19 came about, which is intensive research work.”
The king added that Africa had a number of diseases but interventions had been belated, urging the students to turn this around by intensifying research on solutions as part of their studies.
He was informed that there were about 120 Emaswati studying in Zambia, with over 90 per cent enrolled in medicine courses.
About 75 of the students met the king and they expressed excitement and appreciation to him for taking time off his busy schedule to see them.
Some of those present on the night work in Zambia.
The students assured the king of their commitment to do well in their studies and return home to help improve the lives of Emaswati through their expertise.
His Majesty then called upon the students to leave a good legacy for the benefit of future students in the country through respect and discipline. He said the country’s president had good things to say about Emaswati and this should be maintained as the two countries continue to strengthen their relationship. “To those working here, we trust you are carrying out your roles very well and cooperating with the people of Zambia. The exposure you are gaining helps develop various expertise that will be put to good use. To those who have become related to the Zambians, represent us well and encourage more relations between the nations. Once married in another country, you need to adapt to their way of life,” advised the King.
He said wherever they were, they should let their work and respect speak for them and applaud the Zambian people for welcoming and treating them well.
King and I preaching peace, stability – President Hichilema
President Hakainde Hichilema said that together with His Majesty King Mswati III, they are singing the same song of peace, security and stability.
These elements, he said, were absolutely essential as a platform and as a condition precedent to the achievement of economic and social development.
“We have sung this song on all platforms and in all societies we interact with on a regular basis. And I repeat that message today, Your Majesty, that we shall continue to work together to promote peace, security and stability in our countries, the region and the continent,” said the president.
He said they did so because this was the time to use the resources and technical capabilities that they had to engage in economic and social advancement and to create jobs for the largely young population.
“Sometimes they get anxious, sometimes impatient but it is what we are doing here today, propelling, supporting the business investments and sharing ideas that would see us creating the jobs that we desire for our people,” he said.
President Hichilema said in Zambia they had passed through a stage where they had begun to make Zambians believe that they could enjoy the highest standard of living by doing no work, just sitting, and money would fall not in small portions but in sacks, which was a negation of logic.
He said that was not possible. “I visited you, Your Majesty, in Eswatini. Your people work hard. We are encouraging the same for our people here because there is no other way than by working hard and intelligently.”
The president shared that they once placed an order with a neighbouring country, which he preferred not to mention, for a certain product that had run out. “They delivered the product but when we traced it back, we discovered that it was sourced from Eswatini yet it was as if they had it. It pained us because you know that the cost we paid was higher than buying it from sources,” he said. The president said events like the international trade fair present opportunities for one to discover who produces what so that in the future they know exactly where to source or place their orders.
“Your Majesty, as we continue to cooperate between the two countries and do more transactions, we will create the necessary jobs our people so desire. You may have been born into a leadership position, Your Majesty, and some of us were elected into it, but we have one converging point, which is the point of serving our people,” the president said.
President Hichilema further challenged the organisers of the international trade fair to ensure that it ran throughout the year. “It is possible today with the advent of technology. We no longer need to wait for the year to know who produces what; we can have online fairs throughout the year, from January to December. It is possible,” he said. The president thanked His Majesty the King for accepting his invitation to be the guest of honour at the Zambia International Trade Fair in 2023.
He said as someone who was relevantly new in office, he was ready to learn from the wisdom of His Majesty, who has been in power since the tender age of 18.
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