By Zweli Martin Dlamini

LOBAMBA:R10billion has been spent in the health sector over the past five(5) years but emaSwati are dying in numbers amid shortage of drugs in public hospitals, an investigation conducted by the Parliament Public Accounts Committee(PAC) has found.

The investigation report tabled in Parliament on Wednesday further implicated Swazipharm, a company allegedly owned by Kareem Ashraff, the influential,powerful and politically connected businessman in the disappearance of public funds within the Ministry of Health, resulting to the shortage of drugs in public hospitals.

“Hon. Speaker, despite the Eswatini Government having spent around E10billion over the past five years in the health sector, Emaswati are dying in numbers due the lack of medicines and equipment in public health(government owned) facilities.The situation has been deteriorating over the years, leading to the current state of affairs where patients mostly go to public health facilities for a diagnosis and prescription as they are most likely not going to get medical drugs.The situation is the same with admitted patients as their relatives and caregivers have to purchase lifesaving drugs for them from pharmacies.Government,in particular, the Ministry of Health, has made countless statements in the media in an attempt to explain what has been going on but those explanations did not translate into the availability of the drugs”, reads the report in part, tabled by Deputy Speaker Madala Mhlanga,the Chairperson of the PAC.

In the report,the PAC Chairperson accused Swazipharm of looting public funds and supplying ‘expired’ drugs thus worsening the health crisis.

“The PAC also conducted a site visit at the CMS warehouse in Matsapha and health facilities where it found:rows and rows of empty shelves due to shortage of drugs two warehouses full of expired drugs worth over E83 million, which cannot be disposed of because Eswatini does not have the facilities to destroy expired drugs.Boxes full of recalled drugs.Medical waste buckets worth E10 million, which were purchased for unclear reasons from Swazi Pharm Ltd and were lying idle at the CMS.When visiting the health centres,it was discovered that there are other expired drugs found in the health facilities over and above the ones found at the CMS, which means the expired drugs are worth more than the E83 million found at CMS. At the Nhlangano Health Centre, for instance,the amount of expired drugs was almost equal to the usable drugs”, the PAC report states.

Members of the PAC who conducted the investigation include Bonginkosi Madala Mhlanga from Mhlangatane(Chairperson), Nhlambeni MP Manzi Zwane, the Deputy Chairperson and Sandile Nxumalo from Somntongo.

Others include Matsanjeni South MP Sabelo Ndlangamandla, Agrippa Magesi Dlamini from Gege, appointed MP Lieutenant General Tsembeni Magongo, Masiphula Mamba from Kubuta, Sifiso Shabalala, the Dvokodvweni MP,Bhekibandla Vilakati(Ngwempisi), Bonginkosi Dube from Phondo, Ntando Mkhonta(Zombodze Emuva) and Nomkhosi Masuku, the Ludzeludze MP.