BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Government, through the Ministry of Health, has been able to pay E44 128 386.73 of its released budget to Phalala Fund service providers.
This is contained in the 2024/24 First Quarter Performance Report of the Ministry of Health. Phalala Fund was allocated a budget of over E179 million to take care of patients who need specialised care, who are usually treated in hospitals out of the country, particularly in South Africa. “Phalala Fund has a budget of E179 928 740.00 and it was able to pay E44 128 386.73 of its released budget to service providers,” states part of the report.
The Ministry, with support from partners, acquired a truck for cancer screening. A total of 156 new cancer cases have been recorded in the first quarter. The ministry was advised to revise the procedure it adopted for Phalala Fund to enter into Service Level Agreements / Contracts with service providers and it is now in the process of obtaining authority to extend the existing contracts from the Tender Board. Partly as a result of that intervention there were 552 patients awaiting access to specialized healthcare services.
Meanwhile, the Laboratory conducted a total of 87 356 viral load tests of which 2 504 were not suppressed. There is an increase in the number of tests that were conducted in 2024 compared to 2023, where 53 523 were processed. The Blood Bank collected 3 953 compared to 3 009 in the first quarter of 2023.
This was due to the availability two more vehicles that were donated by The Global Fund. The staff is now able to set up appointment at schools, companies as well as churches. The Central Medical Stores (CMS) managed to dispatch 76.5 percent of requisitions from health facilities. The stock-out rate at the central warehouse was at 33 percent on average for Anti-Retroviral Therapy, Family Planning, Non-Communicable Diseases, Malaria, and Tuberculosis programmes.
The Ministry continues to construct Biomed Offices and workshops in Matsapha through a health partner. The construction is now at an advanced stage. The Ministry is implementing 14 projects amounting to E200 192 000. The Ministry requested for the release of E116 390 212 which was done. However, delays have been experienced in transferring the money to the implementing agency due to financial challenges.
The country has a total of over 327 health facilities which include private ones. Public facilities managed by the Ministry of Health are over 130 and this number includes hospitals, health centres, and clinics. In this period, the ministry was able to hire 33 employees. The sector completed the Health Labour Market Analysis (HLMA), which shall inform the next Human Resources Strategy.
Already, the process of formulating the strategy has started. The ministry was able to absorb over 55 percent of its released budget. Revenue collection through selling hospital and health centre tickets amounted to E 638 449. Acute Upper respiratory infection was the most common infection and diabetes was in the top eight of all cases seen at Out Patient departments. The sector continues to experience the challenge of maternal deaths, pre-natal deaths and malnutrition which were 6 183 and 85 cases respectively. It was encouraging to reach immunization against DPT 3 of 87.7 percent, which was an increase from the 75.0 percent in the same period.
The training of Rural Health Motivators on integrated package of community-based health services, including maternal newborn child adolescent health, nutrition and non-communicable diseases. The national HIV strategic plan 2024-2028 has been finalised and ready to be printed and launched in the next quarter. This document will guide the coordination of the HIV response and outline strategies for the effective implementation of the HIV, viral hepatitis and STI response within the health sector.
In the thematic area of Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision, 21 percent of eligible males 15-49 years were circumcised against the quarterly target (5015) as shown above. The country sustained the UNAIDS 2030 targets by ensuring that 97 percent knew their status, nearly 100 percent were on treatment, and 95.2 percent maintained a viral load below 1000 copies/mL. 90 percent of TB patients are successfully treated.
A total of 113 malaria cases were reported by the different health facilities in the country which local transmission in the country is still high showing the presence of parasite reservoirs amongst our communities. The End Malaria Fund assisted with procurement of essential malaria commodities which were stockedout. Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) continue to rise as the leading causes of mortality, morbidity, and disability among the people of Eswatini.
The percentage of deaths due to NCDs increased from 38% in 2017 to 46 percent at the end of 2022. The NCD programme conducted 78 community know your numbers (KYN) campaigns, screening 11 893 people for NCDs with a quarterly target of 15,000 people. According to the report, COVID-19 is not yet over. A cumulative of 113 confirmed cases were reported during the reporting period, 119 recoveries, and no deaths were reported.
The National Psychiatric Hospital continued to experience overcrowding in its wards. There are interventions that are being made as one of the closed wards is being rehabilitated this financial year. As a way to ensure that renal services are not disturbed the contract with the service provider was extended by one year.
