POLITICIANS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT EMASWATI’S HEALTH - NURSES

MBABANE - “Politicians in this country live in the comfort that, in the event they become infected with COVID-19, they are guaranteed to be taken to better facilities in the Republic of South Africa.”

This is according to nurses who have taken government to court over the alleged shortage of drugs and lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) in the country’s health facilities. Through the Swaziland Nurses Association (SNA), the nurses argued that:

“That is what makes politicians not to be concerned about the average liSwati who has no access.” It was further the nurses’ contention that, it was that guarantee that has allegedly caused the government of this country not to do all in its power to ensure that the Lubombo Referral Hospital, which was set as a COVID- 19 centre, had all the necessary equipment to combat the virus. 

Facilities

In their application, the nurses are also praying for an order directing government to provide essential drugs in all the health facilities within the kingdom, in particular, those drugs used to manage chronic illnesses. It is further one of the nurses’ pleas to the court that, it should declare government’s alleged failure to provide PPE to them to be unlawful and unconstitutional.

Government is vigorously opposing the application, arguing that it was devoid of the truth that the ministry failed to roll out PPE and essential drugs in the country’s hospitals. In his replying affidavit, President of SNA Bheki Mamba, submitted that; “As human beings, our health and the health of those we care about is a matter of daily concern. 

“Regardless of our age, gender, socio-economic, political background or political inclination, we consider our health to be our most basic and essential asset.”

Mamba informed the court that the executive of SNA was mandated by its members to engage sincerely with the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini as represented by the line Ministry of Health to try to ensure that the nursing profession was ready to combat the pandemic.  He said readiness meant being fully equipped. “It is unfortunate that at a time during such engagements, it would become clear that some officials would prefer to score cheap politics to the detriment of the nation. As nurses, we have warned officials of the respondent (Ministry of Health) that COVID -19 knows no rich or poor. It knows no politicians or commoner,” submitted the president.

He averred that, however, their warnings had allegedly constantly fallen on deaf ears. 

Application

“This application was launched after drugs and PPE got depleted and after it became clear that the officials of the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini are in dreamland as demonstrated by the averment of Dr Vusi Magagula in his affidavit that nurses are stealing PPE,” argued Mamba. The nurses also brought it to the attention of the court that as of December 9, 2020, the Republic of South Africa officially declared the second wave of COVID-19, which the World Health Organisation had warned would be deadlier.  “The Ministry of Health has not been able to provide sufficient PPE. If it was not for the donations that have come from friendly countries, as a nation we would have been a laughing stock in sub-Saharan Africa,” submitted the SNA president, on behalf of the nurses.

He further claimed that government had not been willing to accept recommendations of SNA, to freeze expenditure on capital projects and redirect the resources used to supply sufficient drugs and PPE.

“The shortage of drugs is public knowledge. It is something that the court can take judicial notice of.”

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