Minister hands over equipment, structures worth over E39mln
Minister Apollo Maphalala who stood in for the Minister of Health during the handover.
By Thokozani Mazibuko
Minister of Health, Mduduzi Matsebula, handed over offices and medical equipment maintenance workshops at the old Matsapha Central Medical Stores (CMS) worth over E39 million.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held on Monday, the Minister of Health, who spoke through the voice of the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Apollo Maphalala,
stated that the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, through the Ministry of Health, has been implementing the Health System Strengthening for Human Capital Development Project (HSSHCDP) since December 2020.
He said this initiative is made possible through a World Bank loan amounting to $20 million (approximately E298 million), which aims to enhance the resilience and responsiveness of the country’s health sector.
RELATED: Botswana declares public health emergency as clinics run out of medicine
“As part of this project, we are proud to officially hand over the newly constructed offices and medical equipment maintenance workshops, managed by the Biomed unit, and the data warehouse for information technology (IT) support, overseen by the Health Management Information System (HMIS) unit,” he said.
The minister stated that these two entities serve the same network of health facilities, and their co-location will enable more coordinated, timely, and efficient responses to equipment downtime alerts and IT support requests from health facilities nationwide.
He pointed out that the buildings have been designed with sustainability in mind, incorporating climate-friendly features such as solar panels, thermal insulation, and energy-efficient LED lighting, demonstrating the ministry’s commitment to environmental stewardship alongside health system improvement.
The minister stated that the total contract value for the construction of the facilities was E30, 690,037.96.
Additionally, he said the project has procured other assets to support operational readiness, which included Biomed workshop equipment valued at E956,645.64, office furniture and projection equipment for Biomed and HMIS worth E1,940,310.00, a server room infrastructure at a cost of E4,213,183.87 and a solar power plant installation valued at E2,084,720.78.
The minister highlighted that the cumulative investment of E39, 884,898.20 in the building, furniture, and equipment reflects the ministry’s dedication to strengthening the technical backbone of the country’s health system.
“On behalf of the Ministry of Health, I wish to express our sincere gratitude to the World Bank for its invaluable financial and technical support throughout the construction and procurement process.
RELATED: MP Applauds Government on health bill
We also extend our appreciation to the Micro Projects team for their expert guidance and oversight,” the minister said.
The minister told the Biomed and HMIS teams, who will occupy these facilities, that they were entrusted with the responsibility of ensuring optimal use of the infrastructure and equipment provided.
“Let these resources empower you to deliver timely, high-quality support to our health facilities and contribute meaningfully to the broader goals of health system strengthening,” the minister said.
The minister also warned against corruption, even in small things, and failure to manage projects. He urged all to serve as if they were serving God.
“Be as accountable, honest, and diligent as possible. We owe it to ourselves to salvage our sector and take it to what, or where it used to be. We are happy that everyone is working tirelessly to ensure that this happens,” the minister said.
