Africa-Press – Eswatini. Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini has officially commissioned the 9th Council of the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA), tasking it with strengthening Eswatini’s fight against HIV, while integrating responses to rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The new Council, which assumed office on 25 August 2025, will serve for the next three years. It is chaired by Mr Ntsika Fakudze, who succeeds former Ambassador H.E. Njabuliso Gwebu.
In his address at the commissioning press conference at Private and Cabinet Offices in Mbabane, the Prime Minister paid tribute to Gwebu for her diligent leadership since 2022 and welcomed her back as a returning Council member for a second term.
New Leadership for a Critical Mandate
The Prime Minister described NERCHA as one of the country’s most pivotal institutions, entrusted with coordinating Eswatini’s multisectoral response to the HIV and AIDS pandemic.
“Mr Fakudze takes the baton at a time when the country has made commendable progress towards global HIV targets but continues to face pressing challenges,” the Prime Minister said.
Alongside the Chairperson, the new Council includes both fresh and returning members:
Mr Sifiso Dlamini
Ms Pauline Dlamini
Mr Hani Dlamini
Mr Eric Seyama
Mr Nhlanhla Nhlabatsi
Dr Penuel Gina
Ms Khanyisile Dube
Dr Siphile Msane
Rev. Zachariah Mthethwa
Ms Zanele Nonhlanhla Dlamini
Dr Nondumiso Ncube
Mr Victor Nxumalo
The Prime Minister urged the new Council to provide governance and strategic support to NERCHA’s management team as it navigates both current and emerging health priorities.
Unfinished Business in HIV Response
Eswatini has already achieved the 95-95-95 United Nations global targets—where 95% of people living with HIV know their status, 95% of those are on treatment, and 95% of those on treatment are virally suppressed.
However, national data shows that 13% of people who know their HIV-positive status remain off treatment.
“This is a significant gap. We need to find these individuals and link them to care,” the Prime Minister emphasised.
He further revealed that the country records an estimated 4 000 new HIV infections each year, with adolescent girls and young women disproportionately affected. Strengthening prevention programmes, he said, was crucial to safeguarding the future.
Tackling HIV and NCDs Together
Another growing concern highlighted by the Prime Minister is the ageing population of people living with HIV, many of whom now face non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
“Using lessons from the HIV response, we expect NERCHA to coordinate an integrated response for HIV and NCDs,” he said. “This includes strengthening prevention efforts, mobilising resources, and ensuring that those with NCDs are identified early and linked to care.”
NERCHA at a Turning Point
The Council assumes office at a critical juncture, with NERCHA undergoing an organisational review and an amendment of its Act to redefine its mandate and strategic direction.
The Prime Minister said the Council’s leadership would be essential in guiding this transformation.
“With your governance and oversight, I am confident that NERCHA will continue to be a credible and world-class organisation,” he said.
Looking Ahead
In closing, the Prime Minister urged the Council to build on the foundation laid by its predecessors and to ensure that Eswatini’s HIV response remains sustainable, resilient, and inclusive.
“I wish you well in your term of office. May the Lord bless you as you carry out this important responsibility,” he concluded. In his response, Fakudze briefly expressed words of gratitude to the prime minister, on behalf of the council. He mentioned that they heard the words of the premier and they were going to work on the mandate they were given.
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