The government of Eswatini has begun assessing the working conditions of healthcare workers at rural health facilities as part of preparations to introduce new sector-specific allowances recommended in the Salary Review report.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Public Service Mthunzi Shabangu, Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health Khanyakwezi Mabuza and Secretary to Cabinet Victor Nxumalo, in his capacity as Chairman of the Joint Negotiations Forum (JNF) and bilaterals with Public Sector Unions (PSUs),
conducted a ground site visit to Bhawini Clinic in Mahlangatsha Inkhundla and New Heaven Clinic under Ngudzeni Inkhundla.
They were accompanied by the National Executive Committee of the Swaziland Nurses Association (SNA), led by its President Mayibongwe Masangane, and the Government Negotiations Team (GNT).
The visit provided an opportunity for the Principal Secretaries to engage directly with nurses and support staff and gain first-hand insight into challenges affecting healthcare workers and service delivery at the two facilities, particularly their working conditions.
During the engagements, the Principal Secretaries assured healthcare workers and community members of the government’s commitment to promoting more equitable and responsive working conditions while improving the quality of services delivered to the public.
Shabangu informed nurses that the Salary Review report had recommended the introduction of new sector-specific allowances aimed at compensating workers for particular working conditions.
Among the proposed allowances is a hardship allowance for workers posted to rural areas where transport, accommodation and basic amenities such as electricity, water and sanitary facilities are not readily available.
The report has also recommended the introduction of an infectious diseases allowance for medical staff who are regularly exposed to patients suffering from infectious diseases.
However, Shabangu explained that the allowances would not automatically apply to all civil servants.
He said their introduction would require prior workforce segmentation to determine which employees and work stations meet the criteria for the respective allowances.
This, he said, was one of the reasons the government was conducting site visits to different work stations.
The assessments are intended to ensure that the proposed allowances appropriately respond to the needs and working realities of healthcare workers.
The site visit forms part of the government’s continued efforts to engage directly with frontline workers, understand challenges experienced at facility level and strengthen interventions aimed at improving working conditions and healthcare service delivery.
The government said similar site visits would continue at other civil service work stations considered deserving or eligible for the newly recommended allowances before the allowances are introduced. 
