MBABANE: Bheki Mamba, the President of the Swaziland Democratic Nurses Union(SWADNU) has warned the Nation against the intended use of King Mswati’s controversial Taiwan ‘wonder drug’ without approval from the World Health Organisation(WHO).

This comes after the King openly commanded government to procure the drug during his State of the Nation Address(SONA) which he claimed helped him recover from COVID-19.

Speaking to this Swaziland News, the nurses union President said in the fight against COVID-19, all countries are expected to adhere to guidelines of the United Nations that speaks through WHO.

“Countries are expected to use medication approved by WHO because that organisation is a wing of the United Nations that focuses on health issues in the world. So, in the midst of the pandemic, countries are expected to adhere to guidelines of the United Nations that speaks through WHO. We are aware that the King spoke about the drug from Taiwan when delivering his speech during the opening of Parliament, we would like to state clear that WHO warned countries against using this drug to fight COVID-19. As a result, we don’t have authority as country to use this drug after the clarification from the United Nations through WHO” , said the nurses President.

On Sunday, Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi told the Times of Eswatini that Government once tried to use the drug but later abandoned it. However, according to royal insiders, the interview of the Minister later triggered tensions in the corridors of power as it was seen to be challenging the command of the King that the country must use the drug.

The Times subsequently published another story the following day(Monday) under the headline: “EmaSwati want King’s COVID-19 ‘wonder’ drug”, however, articles that promotes interests of the King but might trigger international criticism are only published in the newspaper and circulated only in Swaziland without being uploaded online.