STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER

 

DR B.SIBUSISO DLAMINI

 

AT THE COMMISSIONING OF THE NEW OPD, RENAL UNIT, CHEMOTHERAPY AND MATERNITY UNIT AT MBABANE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL

 

AT MBABANE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL

 

THURSDAY 18 AUGUST 2016

 

Your Royal Highnesses

Chiefs

Honourable Ministers

Your Excellency Taiwanese Ambassador

Regional Administrator for Hhohho Region

Honourable Members of both Houses of Parliament

Representative of the European Union

Representatives from Fresenius

Managing Director of Swaziland Water Services

Corporation

Representatives from Development Partners

Representatives of the Media

Distinguished Guests

Ladies and Gentlemen

There is nothing more valuable than human life. For that reason, and to the extent that it is physically possible, we, as a country, will continue to endeavour to secure the highest standards of medical care for our people.   From a humanitarian perspective all our citizens must have access to the national medical resources. Not one of our citizens should be excluded. And, from an economic perspective, it is indisputable that the healthier the nation the higher the productivity of its people.

But all public services cost money, especially health services, which demand the best accommodation, equipment and highly qualified staffing. As a small country, facing similar economic challenges to our neighbours, we have to make the lilangeni work to the highest level of cost-effectiveness in our buildings, in how we maintain them, and when and how we re-furbish or replace them.

Today we celebrate the commissioning of structures, the building of which I had the honour of launching two years ago in July 2014.

I have been taken around the facility and have been impressed with the excellent progress made towards completion of the structures. The Maternity Unit has been built in a manner consistent with international standards. The Unit comprises delivery suites, neonatal ICU and pre- and post-natal wards. I should add that each room has ablution or sanitation facilities, one aspect of our operations that has hitherto been a challenge in this hospital. I am sure that the ambience of the new Maternity Unit will have a soothing, even inspiring, effect during the time of delivery, as mothers-to-be welcome their progeny into the world under the expert care of a trained health worker. This procedure is central to Government’s strategy in reducing maternal and infant mortality in our country.

I am also informed that the health workers here have undergone special training and I urge them to take pride in their skills, applying them continuously to the standards to which they have been trained.

Our partnership with Fresenius is proving highly productive, resulting in the new and expanded Renal Unit, already providing life-saving treatment to those of our people in need of renal dialysis. I know from the personal experience of my late wife how enormously challenging is kidney failure. I am impressed with the state of the art equipment and beds, able to meet the dialysis needs of 25 people at a time. In fact, the unit is already working at full capacity, with three shifts of dialysis per day. I do commend the doctors and nurses deployed in that Renal Unit for the high quality of service being provided.

I have observed that the renovations in the older Renal Unit are continuing, and that the unit will be used as the waiting area and will also have a facility for the isolation of infectious patients.

His Majesty’s Government is aware of the increasing burden of cancer in the country and determined to reduce the amount of money spent, and distress caused, where cancer patients have to be referred for treatment outside the country. The valuable partnership between the Ministry of Health, the Swaziland Breast and Cervical Cancer Network and the Swaziland Water Services Corporation has given rise to the construction of the Chemotherapy Unit.

This unit is providing chemotherapy services for cancer patients, and is planning to increase the scope of cancers that can be treated. Several international organizations are currently assisting with capacity-building for health personnel in the Unit. We extend our deep gratitude to organizations such as African Palliative Care Association (APCA), Treat the Pain and the American Cancer Society, for their assistance in this regard. We shall continue to expand our cancer treatment and diagnostic services and will, in due course, introduce a Radiotherapy Unit.

As the transformation of the Mbabane Government Hospital continues, I would like to comment on the very good work to construct the new Outpatients Department (OPD). The unit creates a great deal of additional space, with more consultation rooms for both children and adults. It will integrate service provision for general medical services and rehabilitation services. The OPD services will move from the old dilapidated structure to this new OPD building being commissioned today. At that point the old structure will be demolished to make room for a modern, state-of-the-art Emergency and Referral Complex at the main entrance of the Mbabane Government Hospital.

There is no doubt that the new emergency entrance of the hospital will, when finished, change the city’s skyline and will be accompanied by the introduction of more tertiary services for our people. On behalf of His Majesty’s Government I wish to express our deepest gratitude to the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) for what will be yet another magnificent gesture by that country in our long-standing partnership.

The commitment of Majesty’s Government towards the best health services for her people is evidenced by this project and many others in our health centres across the country, especially in maternity units and waiting accommodation. I do urge our health workers to strive continuously to maintain the highest professional standards. As Government, we shall endeavor to identify and meet the priorities with regard to health personnel numbers across the various health facilities.

I will conclude by thanking all who have been involved in the building work for the commitment and adherence to timelines.

It is now my honour, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to officially commission the four new structures at the Mbabane Government Hospital.

Thank you.