EZULWINI – His Majesty King Mswati III has inaugurated the E200 million Khanyisile Hee Yeon Medical Centre, while challenging government to ensure the facility remains sustainable.
The King officially opened the first phase of the medical centre, valued at E50 million, at Enyonyane in Ezulwini yesterday, describing the facility as a major addition to the country’s health infrastructure.
He directed Minister for Health Mduduzi Matsebula to develop a strategic programme to ensure the centre’s sustainability and called on all partners involved in the project to protect and maintain the facility.
The King also urged government to complete the remaining phases of the project so that the medical centre could continue serving future generations.
The centre offers specialised services including endoscopy, dermatology and dentistry, and is equipped with advanced diagnostic technology.
During a tour of the facility, the King said his travels around the world had enabled him to compare medical facilities internationally and that the new centre could be regarded as world-class.
He was particularly impressed by diagnostic equipment capable of examining internal organs and detecting illnesses at an early stage.
The King was informed that some tests, including electroencephalogram (EEG) monitoring used to examine brain activity and detect conditions such as epilepsy, can produce results within about five minutes.
He also toured a specialised cervical cancer treatment ward, where he was informed that early detection can allow affected tissue to be removed before the disease spreads.
The King said the availability of advanced technology should strengthen early diagnosis and treatment and help ensure that patients receive the care they need.
He encouraged residents of Ezulwini and surrounding communities to make use of the facility and undergo regular medical check-ups.
The King said modern diagnostic procedures had also become less invasive, with some examinations allowing doctors to view internal parts of the body on screens without the need for anaesthesia.
The facility was named after Hee Yeon, a South Korean woman whose family, according to the King, donated her organs following her death after a road accident in South Korea.
The King said Yeon had worked in Eswatini with Americans before her death and had left instructions in her will that her estate should be used to establish a world-class health facility in Eswatini rather than being repatriated to South Korea.
He said the decision to name the facility the Khanyisile Hee Yeon Medical Centre was intended to preserve her legacy and symbolise the hope the centre represents for the country.
The King said Yeon’s intentions demonstrated a desire to save lives rather than seek recognition.
The medical centre has worked closely with the Ministry of Health since 2015. The facility has already passed its initial trial phase, according to information shared during the inauguration.
The King was also shown a case involving a child born with a rare condition which was successfully corrected through the use of advanced technology and the coordinated efforts of medical teams from South Korea and the United States.
The case demonstrated the role the facility could play in providing specialised treatment and supporting collaboration between local and international medical teams.
The King said the centre would contribute towards Eswatini’s efforts to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to ensure healthy lives and promote wellbeing for people of all ages by 2030.
He said the facility complemented existing health infrastructure and would assist the country in improving access to healthcare and achieving universal health coverage.
According to figures cited by the King, about 85 per cent of Eswatini’s population currently live within eight kilometres of a health facility.
He said the centre’s location at Enyonyane, close to the Ezulwini Royal Kraal and surrounding communities, was consistent with the principle of placing health services closer to communities.
The King further said Eswatini’s Universal Health Coverage Index had improved from 58 per cent to about 70 per cent over the past five years.
He said maternal mortality had declined from 107 to 70 deaths per 100 000 live births between 2019 and 2024, while tuberculosis incidence had fallen by 46 per cent since 2015.
Cervical cancer screening coverage among eligible women had reached 66 per cent, while the country remained on track towards eliminating malaria by 2028, he said.
The King also pointed to Eswatini’s achievement of the 95-95-95 HIV targets as evidence of progress in the country’s health response.
He warned that long distances to health facilities could contribute to poor health outcomes and encouraged communities to use available services for early diagnosis and treatment.
The King said the centre could also strengthen the country’s capacity to respond to future pandemics.
HYM Clinic treats 4 000 in seven months, eyes cancer centre
EZULWINI – HYM Clinic Enyonyane has treated more than 4 000 patients in its first seven months, with plans underway to establish a cancer care centre.
The facility’s Founder, Daniel Kim, said the next phase of the project would include additional investment from Mission USA towards establishing the specialised cancer centre, which would also support biomedical studies and training for local healthcare professionals.
Kim revealed the plans during the official opening of the clinic in Ezulwini, where government welcomed the facility as a potential addition to the country’s healthcare system.
He said the 4 000 patients served had come from different parts of Eswatini, as well as neighbouring Mozambique and South Africa.
The figures, he said, demonstrated demand for healthcare services and the potential for the facility to expand its contribution to the region.
Kim said the planned cancer centre would strengthen the country’s capacity to provide specialised healthcare while creating opportunities for doctors, nurses, medical officers and other healthcare professionals to gain additional skills and experience.
He said the long-term ambition was for Eswatini to develop into a medical hub for Southern Africa, with advanced technology, professional care and specialised services.
“Our ambition is far beyond a single clinic. We see Eswatini becoming a medical hub for Southern Africa – an example of excellence in healthcare, advanced technology and professional care that is accessible to all,” Kim said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Russell Dlamini said government welcomed the establishment of the facility, describing it as a world-class health centre equipped with advanced technology.
He said the investment could complement government’s efforts to improve healthcare services in the country. Dlamini said government recognised the importance of partnerships with private and international health sector players in complementing public healthcare.
However, he stressed that the partnership would have to operate within the laws and regulations governing the health sector. The premier said government looked forward to working with HYM Clinic to ensure that its establishment produced benefits for the country.
Conversely, Minister for Health Mduduzi Matsebula said the his portfolio would work with HYM Clinic to ensure that its services aligned with national healthcare standards.
He said these included requirements relating to healthcare professionals, medicines, medical supplies and national diagnosis and treatment guidelines.
Matsebula said the ministry had been engaging with the clinic’s staff since construction began, particularly on expectations for primary healthcare provision.
He said the ministry would continue working with the facility to maintain standards of service delivery, patient safety and respectful care.
The minister said government’s relationship with HYM Clinic was part of a broader effort to strengthen healthcare services and advance Universal Health Coverage. He said the clinic had been established at a time when Ezulwini had experienced significant economic and residential growth.
From tragedy to healthcare
EZULWINI – HYM Clinic at Enyonyane is rooted in a personal tragedy involving Daniel Kim’s sister, who was involved in a serious motorcycle accident and was declared brain dead by doctors.
Kim said the experience changed the way his family viewed healthcare and eventually inspired them to establish an initiative aimed at benefiting people, particularly in Africa.
Kim said the family chose to turn their loss into a healthcare legacy focused on saving lives and providing compassionate medical care.
He credited doctors, nurses and medical specialists from Korea and the United States who had travelled to Eswatini to provide their expertise.
He said their involvement had benefitted patients while also creating opportunities for medical knowledge and healthcare practices to be shared with the country’s health system.
Kim said the initiative’s future would depend on partnerships between government, international development partners and the people of Eswatini.
He thanked government and other stakeholders for supporting the project, as well as His Majesty the King for visiting the facility and supporting the initiative.
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