MBABANE:The United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS(UNAIDS) has released a comprehensive report, highlighting the challenges facing eSwatini’s health system subsequent to the recent withdrawal of funding by the United States(US) Government under President Donald Trump’s administration.
But the report comes a few weeks after Sandile Nxumalo, the Somntongo Member of Parliament(MP) and Chairperson of the Ministry of Health Portfolio Committee literally mislead Parliament, saying the withdrawal of the US funding won’t affect the country’s health system.
Eswatini is ruled by King Mswati as an absolute Monarch, the health system has literally collapsed amid rampant corruption and/or looting in the public administration.
The UNAIDS report released last week further suggests that, “the country is already facing limited availability” of Human Immunodeficiency Virus(HIV) testing resources including self-testing, workplace testing, and community-based approaches.
“As a result, of being unaware of their HIV status,pregnant women living with HIV may have compromised access to vital services to prevent vertical transmission of HIV.Due to limited access to testing, there has been a significant decline in HIV case identification, contact tracing efforts, and peer-based linkage, particularly among high-risk populations such as men and youth,” reads the report in part.
On another note, the report further states that, amid the scarcity of HIV prevention resources in eSwatini,pregnant HIV+ women now risk infecting their babies.
“The DREAMS programmes targeting AGYWs are no longer operating, which is creating disruptions in PrEP access for AGYW and increasing their risk of HIV infection, while also negatively impacting their behaviour change in the long term.Human rights, key and vulnerable populations Eswatini received U.S. funding for work on stigma,discrimination and enabling legal environments.Some programmes have stopped; other work is ongoing with reduced capacity.This funding has not been redirected to other programmes,” reads the UNAIDS report.
But the despite the unfortunate situation, the Government has been pushing a propaganda campaign, trying to downplay the seriousness of the health crisis,dozens have died since health crisis erupted in eSwatini.
UNAIDS is a United Nations organization that leads and inspires the world to achieve it’s shared vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths, this is part of the global agenda to end the AIDS epidemic by 2030.
But the current challenges within the eSwatini health system might undermine the significant achievements made by the tiny Kingdom in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
The Global Fund, through the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS(NERCHA) and under the leadership of the then Executive Director Khanya Mabuza successfully supported various programs aimed at reducing and eradicating new HIV infections.
But the fight against HIV/AIDS was a coordinated effort between Government, Non Governmental Organizations(NGOs) and international partners.
King Mswati.