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MBABANE – The Minister of Health, Lizzie Nkosi, told delegates of the 76th World Health Assembly (WHA) that Eswatini manufactures and exports medical masks.
The WHA is one of the annual events that are hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The high level health summit is held in Geneva, Switzerland, where WHO member States are deliberating on different health issues. This year’s theme is centred around pandemic preparedness and funding. Eswatini delegation includes the minister, Principal Secretary Amos Zwane, Director of Health Services Dr Velephi Okelo and Chief Nursing Officer Gloria Msibi.
In her remarks, the minister highlighted the country’s response to the global COVID-19 pandemic. She mentioned some of the country’s key players at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic.
Nkosi said the triumphs were possible because Eswatini supports the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body (INB) process and the amendment of the International Health Regulations (IHR) of 2005.
Strengthening
“In 2018, the first Joint External Evaluation of IHR core capacities supported by WHO identified gaps that were pivotal in strengthening our health systems. In addressing these gaps, Eswatini successfully managed the COVID-19 response, thanks to our frontline workers, and support from WHO, Taiwan and other partners, which has set a foundation for strengthening of our Public Health Emergency Management System,” she said.
The minister added that the COVID-19 response provided an opportunity for the country to increase its oxygen capacity through the establishment of oxygen generation plants.
She stated that the pandemic gave the country an opportunity to tap into the market of manufacturing some medical supplies and equipment.
The minister told the WHA that with support from the Republic of China (Taiwan) the country was currently manufacturing medical masks, and supplied them to other countries.
She highlighted that as part of a multi-sectoral approach to strengthen the ‘One Health Approach’, Eswatini established Anti-Microbial Resistance activities since 2020.
“Laboratories in the human and animal health sectors are capacitated to conduct bacteriological tests, and prescribers are being sensitised to improve their prescribing practices,” she said.
To ensure the anti-microbial resistance is strengthened, Nkosi said the country had recently been enrolled in the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS). The enrolment to the WHO GLASS also puts the country in a better position to contribute to the global fight against AMR.
She said Eswatini’s health achievements would have been incomplete without the country’s strides against HIV/AIDS.
“Our recent achievements in HIV have contributed to increased life expectancy from 42 years in 2001 to 60 years in 2020. Eswatini completed the third consecutive population-based HIV impact assessment, which showed a further reduction in HIV incidence from 1.4 per cent in 2016 to 0.6 per cent in 2021,” she said.
Aligned with the WHO goal of Cervical Cancer Elimination by 2030, The minister told the delegates that Eswatini was ready to introduce the HPV vaccination campaign targeting girls aged 9-14 years and focusing on 9-year-olds routinely. Going forward towards 2030 for full HIV, Nkosi said Eswatini would focus on identified gaps, particularly on adolescent girls and young women.
She urged WHO to invite Taiwan to the WHA as an observer, and include Taiwan in all WHO meetings, mechanisms, and activities, based on the WHO principle of leaving no one behind.
“Taiwan can help, and is willing to share its expertise to improve global health,” she said.