STATEMENT BY THE RT HON PRIME MINISTER
DR B.S.S.DLAMINI
AT
- i)ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROGRAMME TO CONSTRUCT NEW MBABANE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL OUTPATIENTS DEPARTMENT
- ii)RE-LAUNCH OF THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH OUTREACH PROGRAMME
- iii)LAUNCH OF THE PUBLIC PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP ON RENAL CARE
AT THE MBABANE GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL
WEDNESDAY 2 JULY 2014
Honourable Ministers
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is my honour this morning to announce the commencement of a programme to construct a new Outpatients Department at the Mbabane Government Hospital. This a much-needed improvement to our existing health care services and Government has taken the decision to demolish the existing Outpatients Department (OPD) and complete the construction of an entirely new facility on the existing site.
To accommodate the demolition and construction components of the Programme it is necessary, in the first instance, to construct a temporary OPD. I can announce today that contractors will be on site by the middle of this month to prepare for the commencement of construction of the temporary structure. Completion will be 11 weeks thereafter. It is envisaged that, subsequently, there will be only a minimal interruption in OPD services during the period when the temporary facility is in use.
Plans are currently under preparation for the new OPD which will be built on the existing site following demolition of the present facility. Preparation of that site in readiness for the new OPD will follow the demolition work, and construction of the new OPD is targeted for completion within two years from today.
Within the same strategy of extending an improved health service to the Nation we are today also formalising the re-launch of the Ministry of Health Outreach Programme that is carried out from our public health units. This mobile clinic service suffered recessionary characteristics – mainly a shortage of vehicles - during the period of severe fiscal challenge from early 2010.The Programme was responsible for, and is now revived to resume, the function of taking primary health care such as child immunization and treatment of simple illnesses, out to less well-served parts of the country.
At the same time there will be a harmonisation of this Outreach Programme that will be implemented from public health units, with the Outreach Programme already in existence from our hospitals. This latter programme has reached out, through treatment at selected health clinics around the country, to give treatment to patients with more serious, often chronic, complaints.
I take this opportunity to thank Her Majesty the Indlovukazi for the Philani initiative in which she has championed medical care for the entire Nation, especially the elderly and the children. The Outreach Programme is designed to add further resources towards meeting this objective and we are today launching 13 new vehicles specifically for this Programme that will result in improved medical care for those in rural areas that are not close to health centres and clinics.
And now I move to the final initiative that is being launched today. Not everyone is aware of how medically dangerous renal failure can be, where the kidneys cease to function properly and create a life-threatening condition for the patient. My own personal experience of renal failure was gained because my late wife battled bravely with the condition, undergoing continual renal dialysis for many years.
Ever since 2003, we have built up a renal dialysis facility in Swaziland thereby providing life-saving assistance to those suffering from renal problems and saving a great deal of money by avoiding the need to take patients outside the country for alternative, and very expensive, treatment.
To date, we have established renal treatment facilities at the Mbabane Government Hospital, Raleigh Fitken Memorial Hospital and Hlathikulu Government Hospital. However, over time, the need for treatment has increased owing to the adverse effect of diseases such as diabetes. At the Mbabane facility we are now dialyzing as many as 15 patients each day.
Since 2003 we have used the services of Fresenius Medical Care but that link has hitherto been restricted to the supply of dialysis equipment and materials. The time is now ripe for a more complete service providing increased access to a full package of treatment and to a very high standard.
This need is to be met comprehensively in a Public/Private Partnership (PPP) between Government and Fresenius Medical Care in which the latter will build, equip and run an enlarged service which includes an extension to the existing building. Through the enlargement and improvement of the present facility and the training of our own health service employees we will not only receive an upgraded service, run by professionals with additional specialist skills, but the partnership will, in due course, leave us with a permanently upgraded facility and the enhanced skills of our seconded staff. The partnership gives the work to Fresenius while Government will be the user, paying a fee per session.
Fresenius brings to the partnership a first-class reputation and His Majesty’s Government looks forward to this new and substantially improved renal care facility, providing an improved health service to our people.
It is now my honour, on behalf of His Majesty’s Government, to declare the Mbabane Government Hospital Outpatients Department Improvement Programme, the Outreach Programme of our public health units and the Public/Private Partnership with Fresenius Medical Care, duly launched.
Thank you.