BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula is full of praise for the Country Coordinating Mechanism (CCM) Eswatini for having helped the country in fighting diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
Matsebula praised the CCM Eswatini today (Thursday, July 25, 2024) during the launch of the CCM Eswatini 2023 to 2026. The event marked the beginning of the new Global Fund’s Grant Cycle for 2023 to 2026. This presents an opportunity for the CCM Eswatini to coordinate efforts in accessing and utilising Global Fund financing.
Speaking during the event, Matsebula mentioned that the CCM, together with Global Fund, deserved a special recognition by the Government of Eswatini because the two organisations made health financing a reality.
“Section 8 of the National Health Sector Strategic Plan (NHSSP) 2018-2023, under Health Financing, states that for the health sector to achieve Universal Health Coverage (UHC), adequate financing for critical interventions is required. To this regard, it is important to extent great appreciation to Globa Fund for continued support of the health sector in Eswatini,” Matsebula said.
To this regard, Matsebula stated that Global Fund had stood the test of time in giving grants to the Kingdom of Eswatini to fight three diseases (HIV, TB and Malaria). He also appreciated the CCM for being resilient in coordinating Global Fund financing since 2003. “Appreciation goes to the Eswatini CCM which has remained faithful in resource mobilisation to get funds from Global Fund, since July 2003 till today,” he said.
He said with the grant support, the country had seen much improvement of the burden amongst the three diseases. Under Malaria, Eswatini became the first country in Sub-Saharan Africa to pass a National Malaria Elimination Policy in 2011. For HIV, Matsebula said the country had reached epidemic control, a UNAIDS target achieved much earlier than 2030.
For Tuberculosis (TB), the minister said Eswatini continued to make significant strides in the response to TB and heading towards elimination. Through strategies, he said there was a target to achieve 90 percent TB treatment coverage by 2028, to strengthen primary and secondary TB prevention services, to achieve 90 percent treatment success rate for all forms of TB, including DS-TB and DR-TB.
He thanked and appreciated the Eswatini CCM and the Principal Recipients (PRs), such as NERCHA and CANGO, for their tireless efforts in making sure that the implementation of the grant is done as per the standards of Global Fund. “Your dedication while working with your sub-recipients and Government programs is amazing. HIV is at epidemic control, TB cases have decreased, and the country has reached the malaria elimination phase since 2012,” he said.
“In terms of the challenges in relation to the Global Fund Grant, the Ministry of Health is ready to take an active leadership role to support the Grant to work effectively.”
He pleaded with the CCM to continue their function of coordinating the Global Fund Grant and the good work you are doing with the PRs and sub-recipients. “It is my wish that the Global Fund Grant can consider support to other areas such as Non-Communicable Diseases as they remain a huge burden for the Kingdom of Eswatini, yet they co-exist with HIV, TB and Malaria.” he said.
