Relief for diabetic patients as insulin now available at govt hospitals

By Sifiso Sibandze

Diabetic patients must release the panic button as the government has announced the availability of almost all anti-diabetic drugs including insulin.

In the past weeks, the government has been grappling with an acute shortage of drugs in some of its health facilities, leading to people mostly those diagnosed with diabetes dying.

According to a statement released by the Ministry of Health through Minister Lizzie Nkosi, there is an improvement in the medicine stock situation at the Mbabane Government Hospital and other hospitals in general.

“While it is true that the ministry has been experiencing a lot of medicines stock outs in the past months, the situation is being resolved and the situation on the ground has improved remarkably. Anti-diabetic medicines like insulin are now available in our health facilities and so are most of our antihypertensive first-line medicines,” she said.

The minister further disclosed that medicines used in theatres have also been restored as well as pain management medicines and some essential medicines.

Nkosi went on to say that some medicines will run out of shelves as they are used, and these can be replenished from the Central Medical Stores or other facilities, “as we continue to receive supplies.”

“The ministry would like to thank the public for their continued support as well as our healthcare workers for continuing to work relentlessly to serve the nation. It is the ministry’s endeavour to improve patient outcomes and to ensure a healthy nation at all times,” she concluded.