By Kwanele Dhladhla
Minister of Economic Planning and Development Dr. Tambo Gina has emphasised that the Kingdom of Eswatini has made significant progress in improving the health and well-being of its people, despite challenges within the health sector.
The minister made these remarks during the 58th Session of the Commission for Population and Development in New York, USA, where he was represented by Principal Secretary (PS) Thabsile Mlangeni.
The meeting was held under the theme: “Ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages.’’
“The Kingdom of Eswatini recognises health as a critical driver for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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As such, health remains a top priority in the national development agenda, firmly embedded in our Constitution, which guarantees health as a fundamental human right,” Gina said.
It was mentioned that Eswatini has made substantial progress in improving the health of the populace.
The minister noted that there had been a significant decline in mortality rates.
He said infant mortality dropped from 53 per 1,000 live births in 2014 to 35 in 2021–22. Dr. Gina said the under-five mortality rate declined from 74 to 41 over the same period.
He pointed out that these achievements reflected sustained investments in maternal, newborn, and child health.
“Our fight against HIV and AIDS remains a central pillar of our health response. Among adults aged 15 years and over, the HIV incidence stands at 17 per 1,000 population for females and 10.2 for males.
Among those aged 15–49, the rates are 19.9 for women and 9.9 for men. Despite these challenges, Eswatini is proud to be one of the first countries globally to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets,” he said.
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As the country approaches 2030, Dr. Gina noted opportunities to accelerate progress such as increasing investments in health infrastructure,
digital health solutions and capacity building for healthcare professionals to ensure access to high quality and integrated health services towards attainment of SDG 3 in particular and all the other SDGs.
“Harnessing the demographic dividend, strengthening data systems as well as technological innovation remain critical in accelerating progress. A healthy nation is a productive nation,” Gina added.
