By Bongiwe Dlamini

MBABANE:Prime Minister(PM) Russell Mmiso Dlamini has urged nurses to consider looking for jobs in other countries overseas.

The sentiments of the PM come amid government failure to employ nurses and provide drugs and other working equipment in public hospitals,the health system has literally collapsed.

As quoted by the State owned radio, the Prime Minister(PM) told nurses that Government cannot employ all health workers who graduated and urged them to migrate to other countries as a matter of urgency.

Worth-noting,nurses are leaving the country in large numbers to European countries that include the United Kingdom(UK) and Netherlands as the health crisis collapse.

But the sentiments of the PM triggered tension as nurses did not take kindly to the PM’s statement that comes as public hospitals face shortage of health workers.

Reached for comments on Wednesday evening, Mayibongwe Masangwane, the Secretary General(SG) of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) ruled the Prime Minister(PM) out of order. 

“The Prime Minister’s statement is out of order.It simple means that his administration does not value the lives of the Swazi people as he said nurse should go, the nurses who go to overseas countries are the experienced one and are needed by the country at such time when there is shortage of medical supplies and drugs.The statement showed that this administration is ready to sink the health care system to it final resting place.It very painful to the poor Swazi people.We hope that we will meet him to explain and give him the correct picture”, said the Nurses Union Secretary General(SG).

But after the PM’s statement, Government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo told the State owned radio on Wednesday that,the Prime Minister(PM) does not make statements to please people.

“The Prime Minister was not making the statements to please people but he was simply saying, the world has become a global community and we must produce nurses who will work in other countries”,said the Government Spokesperson.