BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The Ministry of Health is now springing to action in making sure that they actualise the agreements signed by Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini when he was in Belarus in June this year.
Among other things Dlamini did when in Belarus, he signed an agreement with that country’s Government to help Eswatini in supplying medical drugs to Eswatini.
Yesterday (Thursday, August 8, 2024), the Ministry of Health, under the leadership of Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula, met with officials from the Republic of Belarus in Mbabane.
According to information from the Ministry of Health, the Belarus delegates have come to put the wheels in motion in terms of coming up with agreements that will see Eswatini and Belarus forge mutually beneficial bilateral relations regarding healthcare. This follows the talks that were held in Belarus when the premier visited that country recently.
During the discussion between the Belarus delegates and the Ministry of Health, Minister Matsebula told the delegation that his Ministry had been given a mandate by His Majesty King Mswati III and the prime minister and his Cabinet to meet with the delegation to decide, agree and forge a way to establish a relationship with the Republic of Belarus in relation to healthcare.
The Minister then highlighted focus areas which he said the discussions were to look into. These areas include:
1. Supply of medical drugs
2. Establishment of a pharmaceutical manufacturing industry in Eswatini
3. Building of a new hospital
4. Training and capacity building of the Eswatini health experts
5. Exchange of expertise
Meanwhile, the leader of the delegation and representative of the Utano Group FZE, Dzmitry Serhamasau, declared their eagerness to hold successful discussions with the Ministry of Health.
“We are ready to discuss and come up with agreements in relation to the focus areas that the Minister has highlighted and look forward to working with Eswatini. We have experienced health professionals and doctors who will share valuable expertise with your experts.
“We will be looking forward to bringing them here to share knowledge, train other doctors and also work in the country’s health sector. We are also looking to establish an exchange program that will see local experts come to Belarus for training and working so that they expand their knowledge,” said Serhamasau.
The prime minister left on June 18 for Belarus, after he was invited by that country’s Prime Minister Roman Alexandrovich Golovchenko. The aim of the invitation was for Belarus and Eswatini to establish diplomatic relations and cooperate in sectors such as agriculture, health, and education.
