BY PHUMELELE GAMEDZE
MBABANE– Health took centre stage at Amitofo Care Centre on 7 August 2026, as 382 children and 70 teachers and staff received health education and free screening services.
The School Health Day, organised by the Taiwan Technical Mission (TaiwanICDF) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Amitofo Care Centre, brought an important message to the centre: healthy choices made today can protect lives tomorrow.
For the children, the day was more than a health talk. It was an opportunity to learn, ask questions and understand their health in a way they could relate to.
The two hour programme covered hypertension, diabetes, healthy nutrition, smoking and alcohol prevention, sexual and reproductive health, cancer awareness and mental health.
The lessons were followed by a 30 minute aerobics session, turning the message about physical activity into something the learners could experience for themselves.
Teachers and staff were also not left behind. They received free blood pressure and blood glucose checks, as well as cancer screening services.
Project Specialist at the Taiwan Technical Mission, Ben Hung, said the School Health Campaign and Community Health Screenings form part of the Project for Strengthening Metabolic Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Systems, launched in 2024.
He said the project is helping strengthen the prevention and control of diabetes and hypertension in Eswatini, while encouraging young people to develop healthier habits early in life.
Hung said the World Health Organisation’s 2013 Global School based Student Health Survey found that 40.6 per cent of students consumed sugar sweetened drinks at least once a day, while 20.1 per cent were overweight or obese.
Since the project began, school based health education activities have reached more than 3 800 students, while free diabetes and hypertension screenings have benefited more than 35 000 people.
The programme also tackled an issue that continues to concern communities substance abuse among young people.
Ministry of Health Non Communicable Diseases, Injuries and Mental Health Programme representative in the Shiselweni Region, Phiwokwakhe Maxwell Manyatsi, spoke to learners, teachers and staff about the dangers of alcohol and tobacco use.
Manyatsi said the education was intended to help participants make informed decisions, avoid harmful substances and, for those already using them, seek support to quit.
He also raised concern over cigarette and vaping use among learners, highlighting the need for continued awareness and prevention programmes.
For Amitofo Care Centre Office Supervisor Thandeka Kgaledi, the initiative brought both knowledge and reassurance to the centre.
Kgaledi said the health education helped children understand the importance of looking after themselves, while the screening services gave staff an opportunity to know more about their own health.
She said keeping caregivers healthy is equally important because they need to be well enough to continue providing care, guidance and support to the children.
One Form 2 learner said the programme had given him lessons he could carry beyond the classroom.
He said he learnt how exercise and healthy eating can help prevent diabetes and hypertension, while also gaining a better understanding of the dangers of smoking and substance abuse.
The learner said the lessons would help him make healthier decisions as he grows and better understand the physical changes that come with adolescence.
For Amitofo Care Centre, the day was a reminder that improving health does not always begin in a hospital. Sometimes, it begins with a conversation in a classroom, a health check or a child learning to make a better choice.
Through the partnership between TaiwanICDF, the Ministry of Health and local institutions, the initiative is bringing health knowledge closer to young people and helping nurture a generation that is better informed about protecting its health.
#TaiwanICDF #HealthyEswatini #HealthEducation #NCDPrevention
(Courtesy Pic)
