Africa-Press – Eswatini. Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has appealed to Parliament to fully support the ongoing efforts to address the health crisis amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals.
The PM made this appeal in Parliament-Lobamba, when delivering a report outlining the challenges that triggered and subsequently worsened the health crisis and this, comes after Members of Parliament(MPs) demanded accountability from the Executive Arm of Government as the crisis worsens. He said the Ministry of Health suffered governance failures which “contributed to inefficiencies and indecision on critical matters pertaining to service delivery” adding that, these failures led to wastage, over expenditure and in some cases, medicines not reaching the intended beneficiaries.
“Linked to the above, there has been low staff morale due to staff shortages that have led to staff burnout. Partial implementation of the 2024 Fundudzi Forensic Audit Report. This has not only led to staff shortages but also contributed to the low staff morale in the Ministry” he said.
The PM further highlighted the inconsistent budgeting and underfunding of medicines adding that, while eSwatini allocates a significant share of its budget to health, the specific budget for medicines has often been inadequate.
“In recent fiscal years, the Ministry of Health requested allocations based on projected needs; however, the approved budgets were significantly lower, frequently covering only 40-60% of the requirements.Furthermore, delays in disbursements have led to payments arrears to suppliers, damaging relationships and prompting them to suspend deliveries or inflate costs. Allocation of budget usually and consistently excludes the maintenance of facilities,” said the PM.
But despite highlighting the above and other challenges, the Prime Minister emphasized the significance of implementing the Funduzi Forensic Services investigation report that exposed corruption within the health system. The PM confirmed that, “the health crisis is worsening and undermining public confidence in the country’s health system”.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
