BY PHESHEYA IAN KUNENE
MANZINI – Health experts, government officials, and disability advocates are gathered at The George Hotel to craft a national roadmap for detecting disabilities in newborns, a game-changing effort expected to transform the country’s health landscape.
The Ministry of Health, in collaboration with the Disability Unit and UNFPA, is developing a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Neonatal Disability Screening.
This vital initiative aims to strengthen early detection systems for congenital and developmental conditions in infants.
The workshop marks the first formal gathering of its kind to align national efforts with the National Disability Plan (2024–2029).
Tuesday’s session featured a compelling presentation by Musawenkhosi Mvubu, Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness (IMNCI) Programme Manager. She stressed the importance of mainstreaming child health routines into the disability screening agenda.
“A well child also needs attention,” she said, highlighting the critical role of growth monitoring, timely immunisation, caregiver education, and active referrals, all within the first 1 000 days of life.
Mvubu encouraged stakeholders to use the SOP as a guiding tool to embed these services into a proactive and inclusive model of neonatal care.
Another key presentation was delivered by Nosipho Nzuza-Motsa, the Ministry of Health’s Coordination Officer for Gender in SRH including GBC and the Focal Person for SRH in persons with disabilities.
She unpacked the National Neonatal Disability Clinical Screening Guidelines, emphasising the importance of routine screening protocols, particularly in the first weeks of life.
Nzuza-Motsa explained that early identification of conditions such as congenital abnormalities and intellectual disabilities could prevent long-term complications and improve outcomes. “This initiative is not just a medical intervention, it’s a national commitment to protect the potential of every child,” she said.
The guidelines encourage screening at birth, during the first week, and again at six weeks. They aim to integrate structured screening tools into routine neonatal visits, generate data that informs national health policy, and build the capacity of healthcare workers to detect and refer disability cases early.
They also promote collaboration across clinics, communities, and government entities to monitor the programme effectively. Ultimately, the methodology focuses on inclusive health systems and measurable targets to support sustainable early childhood development.
Stakeholder participation at the workshop has been wide-ranging and representative. Present were members of the Deputy Prime Minister’s Office, mental health professionals, paediatricians, and various allied health cadres.
Notably, the Persons with Disabilities sector was represented by FODSWA President Sabelo Makama, reinforcing the inclusive nature of the discussions.
According to the Ministry of Health, this SOP aims to close systemic gaps in how disability is identified and managed from birth.
“This is not just about policy, it’s about creating lasting, community-level change,” said one official during the session.
The World Food Programme (WFP), which is among the partners supporting the effort, expressed strong backing for the initiative.
Speaking earlier in the week, WFP representative Bhekinkosi Kunene described the SOP process as “a reflection of our shared commitment to evidence-based planning and sustainability.”
As consultations continue, Eswatini moves a step closer to becoming a model for early disability screening, ensuring no child’s future is limited by a preventable or untreated condition.
