Times Of Swaziland: PM SICK, ADMITTED TO ICU

PM SICK, ADMITTED TO ICU
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BY SITHEMBILE HLATSHWAYO on 26/04/2018 07:42:00


MBABANE – Hardly 48 hours after his return from England, the country’s
Premier Sibusiso Barnabas Dlamini, has been admitted to the Mbabane Government
Hospital ICU.
ICU is an acronym of Intensive Care Unit.
According to reliable sources, the prime minister arrived at the hospital
yesterday at around 9am. The sources further revealed that close family members,
including his wife Primrose, also came to visit him at the hospital.
There was tight security outside the ICU where the PM’s personal protection
officers were stationed since morning. Notably, there were three plain-clothes
policemen including Superintendent Schoolboy Simelane, who were in a sombre mood
manning the entrance.
Simelane is the assistant personal protections officer.
The officers looked anxious and were constantly on their mobile phones.
Officers
Next to the ICU entrance there was a woman seated next to one of the police
officers, while two were seen regularly moving about.
From afar, the woman looked very concerned with her arms folded most of the
time. This reporter observed the quartet’s movements for about 20 minutes and
noted that they neither entered nor peeped through the ICU’s door.
Also noted was that within the hospital premises, a white Toyota Land Cruiser
Prado, with government registration numbers GSD 003 PC, was parked.
This is the same vehicle that was pictured at Ngwenya Primary School where the
PM’s wife is a head teacher.
News of the PM’s admission to the hospital had spread like wild fire on social
media network Facebook by yesterday afternoon.
At the beginning of March, 2017, the PM left the country for his annual medical
check-up which he undertook in neighbouring South Africa over a period of three
days.
On his return, the PM stressed the importance of having regular or annual
medical check-ups, which he said were important for the early detection of any
ailment that a person might have.
In August last year, doctors who looked after Dlamini while he was in Taiwan
arrived in the country to check on him.
The PM had been away from the country for almost a month in May (last year)
after he underwent a medical surgery in that country.
However, the PM’s ailment has to date not been revealed.
The premier, during his thanks- giving celebration which was held at Bhekinkhosi
Church of the Nazarene in July last year, disclosed that he almost died on his
birthday.
The premier’s actual birthday is on May 15.
However, he could not celebrate it as he was away in Taiwan for a medical
check-up.
The PM said he got sick a few days before his big day, and the illness got so
severe that their Majesties facilitated that he went to see advanced medical
doctors overseas.
On his birthday, May 15 when he was turning 75 years, Dlamini said he was on the
operating table in Taipei and it occurred to him that his birthday was meant to
be the same day he died.
“The way things were happening, I felt like I was losing the battle and I
confessed my sins, ready to give up,” the premier was quoted saying much to
the empathy of the congregation and well-wishers.
However, he said God willing, let him live. After he regained consciousness and
woke up from his temporary sleep, Dlamini said he was humbled by the tonnes of
messages that flooded his mobile phone.
Prayed
He said by this gesture, he realised just how much people cared and prayed for
him.
I’m healthy and happy to say that my sins were left in Taipei,” he joked.
During his birthday celebration, the premier also thanked his family for being
by his side through it all.