By Ncaba Ntshakala
The Health Labour Market Analyses (HLMA) Report has made a compelling case for the Ministry of Health to take a leading role in developing a comprehensive Human Resource for Health Strategic Plan.
This plan, the report asserts, should align with government priorities and serve as a unifying framework for all partners, ensuring that contributions support the government’s overarching health agenda rather than fragmented individual plans.
Dr. James Asamani presented the HLMA Report to the Minister of Health, emphasizing the need for a cohesive and integrated approach to health sector development.
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“In so doing, Honorable Minister, with your leadership, health could be prioritized and put at the center of socioeconomic development of this country,” Dr. Asamani stated.
He expressed the importance of the Minister championing this initiative in various political and governmental forums to elevate health to its deserved prominence.
Asamani highlighted that stakeholders strongly advocate for a holistic approach to workforce issues, integrating infrastructure and drug availability into the strategic plan.
“The workforce issues should be looked at from a whole system approach,” he said, stressing the need for a comprehensive strategy that ensures health workers have the necessary resources to perform their duties effectively.
He pointed out the futility of having either infrastructure without health workers or vice versa, advocating for a balanced development of both.
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The report further recommended that the Ministry of Health prioritize filling key vacancies and addressing service delivery gaps within the public health sector.
“With your leadership, to facilitate recruitment to fill the key vacancies and service delivery gaps in the public health service,” Dr. Asamani urged.
He noted that there are skilled individuals who remain unemployed despite being trained, emphasizing the urgency of integrating them into the health workforce.
A critical aspect of the recommendations was the call for the Minister to advocate for an exemption from the Directive of the Circle No. 3 of 2018, which currently hampers the filling of vacancies.
“With your leadership, to advocate with the Ministry of Public Service with the support of the Parliament Health Portfolio Committees so that an urgent exemption could be given to the Ministry of Health,” Dr. Asamani added.
This exemption would enable the Ministry to address immediate workforce shortages effectively.
Additionally, the report suggested engaging the Ministry of Public Service to review and establish new posts and operational structures as part of implementing the already conducted Management Audit Report.
This move is seen as essential to modernizing the health sector’s operational framework and ensuring it meets current and future demands.
Moreover, the HLMA Report calls for decisive leadership from the Ministry of Health to develop a strategic human resource plan that aligns with national priorities and strengthens collaboration among all stakeholders.
By addressing workforce, infrastructure, and resource issues in an integrated manner, Eswatini can position health at the forefront of its socioeconomic development, which ensure better health outcomes for all its emaSwati.
