MBABANE: Patients are being starved to death by King Mswati’s Government, various hospitals across the country are facing a shortage of food and drugs.
King Mswati who rules eSwatini as an absolute Monarch has full control over the government and taxes collected from the people, he is a multi-billionaire in a country where about 70% of the population lives below the poverty line.
Mayibongwe Masangane, the Secretary General of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) said even though they might not have the real figures for now, it was true that some patients died of starvation and due to the non-availability of drugs.
“It’s true, the shortage of food in hospitals has resulted to many deaths. Some survived because their families managed to provide them with food because even if that medication could be available for that patient on that particular day, you find that it won’t work in an empty stomach”, said the Secretary General.
On or around 15th October 2021, King Mswati officially opened the hospital but a few days later, this publication reported about a protest by health workers who complained about the shortage of food and drugs.
Speaking to this Swaziland News, Emmanuel Ndlangamandla, the Executive Director of the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations(CANGO) described the shortage of food in the various hospitals as a national shame.
“This is actually a national shame. In democratic countries, a Health Minister would have long been fired for this mess. But in our country, we can’t blame the Minister because we know she is trying. The people who must be blamed here are those who are in charge of the public funds”, he said.
Questions were sent to Health Minister Lizzy Nkosi, however, she had not responded at the time of compiling this report.
It has been disclosed that despite the various social challenges facing the country, the Eswatini Revenue Authority(SRA) continues to collect more money from businesses and individuals, over R1 billion public funds allegedly sustain the lavish lifestyle of King Mswati.
Reached for comments, Dumisani Masilela, the Commissioner General of the Eswatini Revenue Authority(SRA) said it was hard to comment without knowing the nature of the challenges faced when procuring the drugs.
“It is hard to comment Mlangeni without an understanding of the nature of the problem they are facing in procuring drugs”,he said.
Eswatini is facing a health crisis in the midst of a political unrest, health workers are consistently protesting in demand for working equipment.
Hospitals face shortage of food.