ABSENT AMBULANCES

Aon a daily basis, the nation gets proof that there is no ‘nkwe’ mentality within the Eswatini Emergency Medical Services department.

‘Nkwe’, of course is the slogan commissioned by His Majesty the King at last year’s People’s Parliament (Sibaya), when he charged government and the rest of the nation to ensure that service delivery was executed with speed and dedication. EmaSwati have to dial the toll free number 977 if they have medical emergencies. However, they rarely every get then required help. Last Sunday, this newspaper reported on the death of Ezulwini businessman Tony Zeeman of the legendary Zeeman’s buses. It is said that the businessman collapsed and died at his home in the morning of last Saturday.

EMERGENCY

He apparently had low blood sugar, which is also called hypoglycaemia and associated with diabetes. However, some people have low blood sugar (glucose) even when they are not diabetic. His relatives say attempts were made to call an ambulance but they were not successful. They ended up transporting him to the Mbabane Government Hospital, where unfortunately, doctors certified him dead. The question the family will always have is: Could Tony have pulled through if emergency services had responded on time and came to pick him up?

Tragically, this is the same question many emaSwati have asked themselves after their lives one died while waiting for an ambulance. Calling 977 is a nightmare. They do pick up your call but they always have excuses regarding why they cannot come. The usual excuse is that there are no available ambulances. People die, leaving families in economic and emotional hardship. Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula should make it one of his main missions to have the 977 emergency department operate with speed and dedication.

RELUCTANT SOLDIERS

SENATOR Lizzie Nkosi has suggested that there should be compulsory military training for all Eswatini youth after they complete high school. This is called conscription and is generally done to build stronger and larger militaries. Those conscripted are forced to train as soldiers, whether they like it or not. The rationale behind Nkosi’s suggestion, which she made in Parliament recently, could not be immediately established. However, it appears that she believes Eswatini needs more soldiers.

Maybe she knows something most emaSwati do not know. It would be interesting to know if the former Minister of Health has the same view regarding the recruitment of nurses and doctors. Does she believe the country needs to do more to train such professionals?

As a former member of Cabinet, she has probably considered the economic implications of her call. She has possibly calculated how much this would cost and if it would not affect the budgetary allocations of other sectors like health, education and agriculture in a country where food security should be the paramount objective.