Africa-Press – Eswatini. The worsening drugs shortage situation has forced frustrated patients and concerned citizens across the country to take to the streets to demand action and better health care.
The protests which have a potential to ground service delivery could have striking similarities to events which were characterised by the delivery of petitions across Constituency Centres that preluded the unfortunate and unprecedented unrest that besieged the country around June 2021.
Over the past 14 days organisers have been inviting people across communities throughout the country’s four regions to participate in the protests which were expected to commence before the end of the week outside, in the premises of health facilities.
The organisers told the Independent News that they were tired of going to health facilities and returning empty handed due to the serious shortage of medication in public health facilities. They declared that they want to take a stand against what they called gross violation of the rights of the country’s citizens by the country’s government through its public health system.
Prospective initial locations of the planned protests include several community clinics spread across the Lubombo region, which would be followed shortly by Manzini. Clinics, health centres and hospitals in the Shiselweni and Hhhohho regions were also listed by the organisers.
Information reaching this publication indicated that participants in the planned protests were to be drawn from all communities, and it is expected that demonstrations would be accompanied by the delivery of petitions to health administrators asking them as well as government to prioritise the health of local citizens.
With widespread shortage of vital drugs in local health facilities, patients have been forced to seek for help elsewhere like in private pharmacies, where the high prices usually limit access for poor citizens who are not in gainful employment. It is usually the elderly and young children who suffer the most from the predicament facing local health facilities.
“We are tired of going to hospitals only to be given only prescription forms, without medication. This is very frustrating, and one can only liken it to dicing with the lives of poor citizens by government. We will be visiting all hospitals and clinics across the country staging demonstrations. In all the events petitions highlighting our demands will also be delivered,” stated one of the organisers of the planned protest.
The displeased organiser who hinted that he has also fallen victim to the shortage of medication in hospitals warned people to expect scenes of disruptions across identified health facilities but maintained that the protests are not meant to block access to health care for patients. Instead, he said this should be taken as a planned action meant to remind government of its responsibilities and the need to prioritise health care.
The demonstrations are planned for the whole duration of the current month of June, according to impeccable sources very close to the subject.
Meanwhile, Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union (SWADNU) Mayibongwe Masangane indicated that his organisation has taken a decision to meet consumers of health care services and other relevant stakeholders in order to address the depressing situation endangered by the ongoing drug crisis.“We had a meeting with the ministry (Ministry of Health) and the response was not encouraging. As a result, we have decided to invite health care services consumers and other stakeholders for a possible brainstorming session,” said Masangane, when queried about their stance as a union to the drugs shortage situation.
…
It would appear like local health facilities which are expected to reduce suffering for patients were now causing their suffering.
As critical medication continues to run out of supply the sick endure more pain and in certain circumstances health workers are left with no choice but to prescribe strong medication, in the absence of mild intervention.
It has been reported that the drug crisis in the country has deteriorated to the extent that facilities were now in short supply of simple cold and flu medication, while healthcare workers specialising in birth control are forced to prescribe a strong contraceptive for women in the absence drugs accepted as the starting point for preventive care.
This is despite that this is the cold winter season where respiratory infections and flu like symptoms become rife.
A nurse who spoke to the Independent News under strict condition of anonymity disclosed that Lofeminal, which is the initial drug used to prevent pregnancy, has been reported to be out of stock in most health care facilities across the country, forcing nurses and doctors to prescribe a higher drug.
According to the nurse, this has been going on for the past two months or so and the situation keeps worsening with each day that passes.
She said the obtaining situation exposes patients to complications associated with the drug’s severe side effects.
This has presented a serious problem for health workers who are worried that women could end up shunning public health facilities for birth control and in the process opt for unsafe methods.
The health care worker confided that Ovral, a higher dosage estrogen-based drug, was now the only medicine they are forced to prescribe to women for birth control.
Worryingly, according to the nurse, administering the drug as a starting point could be risky for patients as they may be exposed to distressing side effects which may in the long run lead to complications. Furthermore, she said, such may lead to an undesirable situation where facilities could experience a low turnout as more tell of their tales.
Meanwhile, health workers have also reported that certain departments in hospitals have virtually become ineffective because they no longer function properly due to shortage of drugs. These include dental care facilities and surgery theatres which are now said to be only attending to emergencies.
Apart from the drug shortage, the nurse revealed that they were also experiencing shortage of medical equipment for ascertain patients’ blood sugar levels or BP machines.
“The situation is very bad. People’s lives are at risk, and this is no joke,” lamented the health care worker.
The same sentiments were expressed by the Swaziland Democratic Union Secretary General Mayibongwe Masangane who lamented that the country’s public health system was fast losing its credibility. He said it was depressing that the situation around the country’s health facilities keeps getting worse instead of improving.
The Ministry of Health has reportedly conceded that the situation in health care facilities was deteriorating.
“We had a meeting with the Ministry of Health senior officials yesterday (on Monday) and their responses were not encouraging. They only expressed grief instead of promising solutions. This gave us the impression that the situation was still going to get worse,” he said.
An attempt was made to get comment from the Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Simon Zwane, but with no success. There was no response to the several calls which were made, despite that a text Whatsapp message had also been sent to his mobile phone number.
For More News And Analysis About Eswatini Follow Africa-Press
