BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
EZULWINI – Government will require an estimated E558 million to implement Eswatini’s National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) over the next five years, as the country moves to establish a fully integrated, multi-sectoral defence system against public health emergencies.
The NAPHS, officially launched by Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula at Royal Villas on Wednesday, sets out interventions to be implemented from 2026 to 2030 under a comprehensive One Health Framework, bringing together human health, animal health, agriculture, environmental management and disaster risk management.
Matsebula described the plan as more than a policy document, saying it was intended to serve as a “shield to protect our citizens” and an operational blueprint for safeguarding the country against public health risks.
“Today, our country is building a fully integrated, multi-sectoral defence system under a comprehensive One Health Framework, that requires an estimated budget of E558 million to implement interventions over a period of 2026 to 2030,” said Matsebula.
The minister said the investment was necessary to ensure that Eswatini could detect, prevent and contain health emergencies before they escalate, particularly as the country remains connected to regional and international movement of people and goods.
He said Eswatini could no longer afford to wait for health emergencies before strengthening its preparedness systems.
According to Matsebula, the country’s health security priorities include strengthening early warning and surveillance systems, expanding local laboratory capacity and institutionalising multi-sectoral mobilisation during emergencies.
He said early warning systems needed to be strengthened through responsive community-level networks capable of detecting pathogens before they reached national borders.
The minister also identified the decentralisation of diagnostic systems as a priority, saying this would allow dangerous biological threats to be confirmed and managed locally without unnecessary delays.
The third priority is improved coordination between human health, animal welfare, agriculture and environmental sectors to ensure rapid responses when emergencies occur.
The urgency of the investment was highlighted by recent health threats on the continent, with Matsebula referring to the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the declaration of a Public Health Emergency of International Concern by the World Health Organization (WHO).
He said Eswatini could not depend solely on medical interventions to protect its population, arguing that the country needed strong public health infrastructure capable of preventing threats before they become crises.
“We cannot therefore rely on a medical safety net; we must strengthen our public health defence infrastructure,” said Matsebula.
The minister said the NAPHS would strengthen surveillance, border health screening and rapid-response systems as part of the country’s broader preparedness architecture.
WHO Officer in Charge Dr Mekdim Ayana said the launch marked a national commitment to strengthening health security and protecting future generations against infectious diseases, natural disasters, climate-related events and other public health emergencies.
Ayana said the E558 million plan should not be viewed simply as an expenditure on healthcare, but as an investment in national preparedness.
She compared preparedness for health emergencies to an insurance policy, saying countries invest in preparedness because they know emergencies will occur even though they cannot predict exactly when.
“The true success of this plan will be measured by the resources mobilized, the partnerships strengthened, the capacities built, and ultimately by the country’s ability to prevent, detect and respond effectively to public health threats,” said Ayana.
The WHO official said Eswatini had made progress in health security but still had significant gaps to address.
She said the country’s second Joint External Evaluation (JEE), conducted in September 2024, identified areas requiring further strengthening, with no technical area yet reaching sustainable capacity.
Ayana said these findings provided evidence for guiding investments and prioritising actions under the NAPHS.
The plan also follows lessons from previous emergencies, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the 2023 cholera outbreak, as well as risks associated with droughts, hailstorms and other climate-related events.
According to Ayana, Eswatini’s geographical position also exposes the country to health risks because of extensive formal and informal crossings with South Africa and Mozambique.
She said the movement of people and goods, while important for trade and development, could increase the risk of importing and spreading communicable diseases such as cholera, measles, malaria and emerging infectious diseases.
“Diseases do not respect national boundaries,” said Ayana, stressing the need for stronger surveillance, border health measures, cross-border cooperation and regional solidarity.
The WHO representative further said the NAPHS had been developed through a multisectoral process involving experts from human health, animal health, environmental sectors and the National Disaster Risk Management Authority.
She said its implementation should now focus on three areas – sustainable financing, coordinated implementation and accountability.
Ayana called for the NAPHS to be reflected in national and sectoral budgets, warning that health security should be funded as a core national investment rather than relying mainly on emergency appeals.
She also called for regular progress reviews and simulation exercises to test the country’s response systems before the next emergency occurs.
Matsebula said the E558 million investment represented more than funding for healthcare, linking health security to the country’s wider development ambitions.
“As echoed in His Majesty King Mswati III’s vision, health and social protection are non-negotiable foundations for our economic transformation,” he said.
The minister said a prosperous Eswatini could not be built without a healthcare system capable of detecting, preventing and containing health emergencies at their source.
He said the NAPHS would also enable Eswatini to fulfil its obligations under the International Health Regulations and contribute to continental health security.
Matsebula officially launched the NAPHS for the 2026–2030 period, calling on all sectors and partners to support its implementation.
#Eswatini #NAPHS #HealthSecurity #MinistryOfHealth #OneHealth #PublicHealth #Healthcare #E558Million #WHO #AfricaCDC
