By Ncaba Ntshakala
The Government of Eswatini, in collaboration with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, has launched a new round of grants amounting to E803 million (US$46.7 million) under the Global Fund’s Grant Cycle 7.
This new cycle, covering the period from 2024 to 2027, is set to build on the progress Eswatini has made in combating HIV, Tuberculosis (TB), and Malaria while strengthening health and community systems nationwide.
The grants are part of a comprehensive dedication by both the Global Fund and the Kingdom of Eswatini to ensure the health and well-being of the emaSwati.
The launch event, held at the Royal Swazi Convention Centre, was graced by high-level government officials, including Deputy Prime Minister Thulisile Dladla, who represented the Prime Minister.
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Other dignitaries included representatives from the Ministries of Health, Economic Planning and Development, Finance, Housing, and Urban Development, as well as members of Parliament and stakeholders such as bilateral and multilateral partners, civil society, and Global Fund officials.
The grants will be implemented by key local agencies such as the National Emergency Response Council on HIV/AIDS (NERCHA) and the Coordinating Assembly of Non-Governmental Organizations (CANGO), with support from the Ministry of Health and civil society groups.
In her address, Dladla emphasised Eswatini’s commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of all emaSwati which aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number three.
“On behalf of the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, I acknowledge the support we receive from the Global Fund on behalf of Emaswati,” she said.
Dladla further extended her gratitude to bilateral and multilateral partners for their continued backing in improving the nation’s health outcomes.
She highlighted the government’s dedication to making Eswatini a healthier and more productive nation.
The three grants will tackle HIV, TB, and Malaria, while also strengthening Eswatini’s health systems. In the HIV response, the grant seeks to reach universal access to prevention, care, and treatment, with a focus on eliminating mother-to-child transmission and reducing HIV-related stigma and discrimination.
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Eswatini, which made history in 2020 as the first African country to meet the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets was said to continue to push forward.
During the launch, it was also shared that by 2023, 98% of people living with HIV in the country knew their status, 98% were on antiretroviral therapy and 98% of those receiving treatment had achieved viral suppression.
The country has also introduced innovative HIV prevention measures such as injectable Cabotegravir Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for women and young girls and the Dapivirine Vaginal Ring, which was hailed as it makes Eswatini a leader in HIV prevention.
For Tuberculosis, the grants aim to reduce mortality from 85 per 100,000 cases to 68 per 100,000 by 2028 and improve treatment outcomes for both drug-sensitive and drug-resistant TB patients. Over the years, Eswatini has made remarkable strides in reducing the TB burden, with cases dropping from 1,600 per 100,000 in 2010 to 325 per 100,000 in 2022.
In 2021, 79% of notified TB cases were successfully treated. The Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula lauded the Global Fund’s support in rigorous TB screening and treatment programs where he emphasized their role in early detection and management, which have been critical in reducing TB deaths and improving the health infrastructure for future outbreaks.
Malaria elimination was also mentioned as a key priority for Eswatini, with the new grants supporting 100% coverage of at-risk populations through vector control measures and strengthening malaria surveillance systems for timely detection and response. In 2023,
all suspected malaria cases were tested, and 81% of targeted households received indoor residual spraying.
In addition to combating these diseases, the Global Fund’s support will enhance Eswatini’s health system to better prepare for future pandemics.
The grants will focus on areas such as community system strengthening, health product management, lab systems, medical oxygen infrastructure, and surveillance systems.
This comes on top of E378 million (US$22 million) in funds from the Covid-19 Response Mechanism, which has strengthened the country’s preparedness for health emergencies and enhanced key parts of the health system.
The Head of Grant Management at the Global Fund, Mark Edington commended Eswatini’s commitment to the partnership, noting the government’s continued efforts to combat the three diseases while building stronger health systems.
“We express our appreciation for the strong commitment that the government and people of Eswatini have shown to the Global Fund partnership,” he stated.
Edington emphasized the crucial role of in-country partners, such as NERCHA and CANGO, in the successful implementation of the grants and recognized Eswatini’s leadership in public health innovation.
Since 2002, Eswatini and the Global Fund have been working together to achieve significant gains in public health.
To date, the Global Fund has invested a cumulative E6.7 billion (US$388) million in Eswatini, which has contributed to the country’s remarkable progress in the fight against HIV, TB, Malaria, and Covid-19.
In recognition of Eswatini’s dedication to this partnership, the country has contributed E108 million (US$6.3 million) to the Global Fund and pledged E17 million (US$1 million) for the Fund’s Seventh Replenishment, covering 2023-2025.
Moreover, the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo who was representing the Minister of Economic Planning and Development,
expressed the government’s resolve to ensure that the investments are effective and sustainable, stating,
“The government has the obligation to ensure that the investments made through the Global Fund are sustained and the gains not reversed.”
