Times Of Swaziland: SELFISH LOCAL POLITICIANS

SELFISH LOCAL POLITICIANS
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The Editor on 21/03/2019 08:27:00


Sir,
Thank you for allowing me space to voice my concerns in your publication. The
Eswatini nation is disturbed by the sudden turn of events where a minister was
recently seen promptly granting bucopho and tindvuna teTinkhundla medical cover,
which they were demanding. This, as the Eswatini health system is deteriorating
due to the perennial inadequate drug and other
supplies shortage in all public institutions; the breaking down of the fleet of
ambulances which deeply affects the transferring of clients; the failing Phalala
Fund which has been collapsed by corruption by those managing it, as they
allegedly collude with some South African health facilities or practitioners to
charge government exorbitant fees, leading to deaths that could have been
prevented.
Politicians
I was at least expecting that the politicians’ first call would be to advocate
for drug availability, building of more clinics as people are still forced to
travel many kilometres to a health facility, something which is contrary to
agenda 2030. Fresh from the 2018 elections, I was expecting them to make calls
that would at least appease the electorate. Little did I know that they just
wanted to use the poor ignorant nation as a vehicle to a better life for
themselves.
Agree
I agree with the writer who once said; “Leadership is an opportunity to better
the lives of others.”
How then will the local health system improve when even the politicians at
grassroots level no longer have the feel and experience functioning of the
health system? This question stems from the fact that the bucopho would now
rarely utilise their local public clinics. I was expecting them to at least join
the unions in advocating for a national health insurance for all to access. This
is a clear sign that as poor emaSwati, we are on our own indeed; no one cares
about us.
Zooming Masanis