MBABANE: Patients at Mbabane Hospital were able to have something to eat again on Friday after businesspeople donated food following government’s failure to provide same.
This comes after nurses protested on Thursday demanding that government must provide drugs and food for the patients as the eSwatini health crisis worsened, resulting to casualties.
Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) confirmed that the food was donated by generous businesspeople to Mbabane Government Hospital adding that the shortage of drugs remained a serious obstacle to their duties as nurses.
“The food was not provided by Government but it was donated by businesspeople, PS usitjele kutsi usazama. The shortage of drugs remains a serious obstacle to our duties as nurses but we will continue putting pressure on Government”, said the Nurses Union Secretary General.
It has been disclosed that the donated food might last for a week.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi told protesting nurses at Mankayane Hospital on Wednesday that the shortage of drugs was becoming a normal situation to them as Government.
Eswatini is facing a political crisis with protesting citizens demanding democratic reforms, the country is also facing a complete collapse of key institutions that include education, and health.
King Mswati continues to live a lavish lifestyle in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Nurses at Mbabane Government Hospital protested demanding drugs and food for patients.