By Khulile Thwala
Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini has solidified the Kingdom of Eswatini’s commitment to promoting and protecting public health and
equity.
Speaking during the commemoration of World Health Day and the 75th anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO), the Prime Minister hailed the public health successes that have improved the quality of life of people around the globe for the past 75 years.
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He commended the technical support the Government of Eswatini has received from WHO, which he said has reduced the burden of communicable diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, and vaccine-preventable diseases.
anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO)
“Over the years, death due to HIV/AIDS has been declining and this can be attributed to the expansion in antiretroviral treatment. Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has also dropped drastically, from over 30 per cent in the past 10 years to only 1.2 per cent in 2022,” highlighted the Prime Minister.
He further shared how there has been improved tuberculosis diagnosis and case detection due to the rollout of technologies such as Gene Xpert.
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“This has been coupled by improved TB treatment success rates,” he indicated.
anniversary of the World Health Organisation (WHO)
He expressed gratitude to WHO for the support extended during the Covid-19 pandemic response. Stating that a series of interventions were activated both at sectoral and multi-sectoral levels across all four regions of the country.
The PM said as the country celebrated the 75th anniversary of WHO, this should be an opportunity to motivate action to tackle the health challenges of today and tomorrow.
“The valuable lessons learnt in the 75 years provide a springboard for local solutions that take into account new and emerging technologies.”
