By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:The Stabilization Centre at Mshinande in Northern Hhohho has been completed and is now awaiting its official opening, a development that signals a new era in Eswatini’s emergency response system. 

The idea for such a facility was pioneered by the Emergency Preparedness and Response Unit (EPR), whose vision to decentralize urgent care and bring stabilization services closer to communities has shaped the country’s evolving approach to accident management. 

The Sincephetelo Motor Vehicle Accident Fund (SMVAF) has played a crucial supporting role, providing resources and institutional backing to ensure that EPR’s vision could be realized, together the two (2) institutions have forged a symbiotic partnership that places accident survivors at the centre of national priorities.

The EPR Call Centre, established four (4) years ago, has already transformed how emergencies are managed nationwide, it has become a lifeline for road users, streamlining communication, reducing response times, and ensuring that cases are logged and resolved efficiently. 

The new Stabilization Centre extends this value by offering physical infrastructure that complements the call centre’s virtual reach. 

Touring the facility ahead of its opening, Dr. Masitsela Mhlanga reflected on the journey from concept to construction, saying, “We give glory to God for the progress made in this project, because the vision is now finally born.” 

His remarks underscored the relief the centre will soon bring to patients who will receive urgent, stabilizing care without delay, traditional leaders also welcomed the development. 

Speaking on behalf of Chief Ngangaza, community representative Nkululeko Mavuso expressed gratitude for a facility designed to meet longstanding national needs. 

“We appreciate this noble project because it will save lives. The SMVAF and EPR partnership has brought us a facility our country has long needed, and we are deeply thankful,” he said. 

For SMVAF CEO Khangeziwe Mabuza, the centre is a living example of the Fund’s mandate in action. 

“I am honoured to be a part of this project, and I am humbled by this partnership that has made this vision a reality. As a newcomer to the Fund, this is a great opportunity for me to learn and grow. I believe the fusion of SMVAF and EPR will flourish and produce more fruits,” she said.

The day’s programme also integrated environmental stewardship, with the Ministry of Tourism donating trees to the facility’s yard as part of its 10-million-tree campaign. SMVAF Corporate Communications Manager Makhosi Magongo noted;

“This is an initiative that aligns with our responsibility to protect life, not only through healthcare but also through environmental preservation.” From the Ministry, Macobhacobha Dlamini emphasized the role of trees in sustaining communities and ecosystems”.

The visit concluded with a tree-planting activity delivered in collaboration with the Forestry Department, reinforcing the national campaign during the rainy season.

Inside the centre, Senior Paramedic Khanyakwezwe Gama walked the delegation through the service footprint, which includes a physiotherapy room, consultation rooms, a ward and resuscitation room, and specialized equipment enabling a six-bed capacity. “This centre represents an all-inclusive health service delivery approach,” he explained, highlighting the infrastructure and governance systems that will ensure quality service. 

Negotiations are underway to expand the scope of procedures conducted on site, while the administrative block establishes the backbone for coordination and data capture.

The Stabilization Centre at Mshinande is therefore more than a facility; it is the embodiment of EPR’s pioneering vision, strengthened by SMVAF’s symbiotic support. 

It represents a shift toward integrated, reliable care that reduces mortality, empowers paramedic teams, and engages communities in health and environmental stewardship. 

As it awaits its official opening, the centre stands as proof that when originators and enablers work in harmony, vision is converted into value, and accident survivors across Eswatini gain not only faster access to care but also renewed hope in the systems designed to protect them.