BY MFANUFIKILE KHATHWANE
MBABANE – The Ministry of Health has received six AI Fundoscopy machines from Taiwan. The donation will boost diabetic care in Eswatini. The machines help detect diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of preventable blindness.
The donation was officially received by the Minister for Health, Hon. Mduduzi Matsebula, at Mbabane Government Hospital. The machines are part of the Taiwan ICDF’s Project for Strengthening Metabolic Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Systems in the Kingdom of Eswatini.
“This is not just medical equipment it’s hope for patients living with diabetes,” Minister Matsebula said. “With this technology, we are moving closer to a future where no one loses their sight due to late diagnosis.”
Diabetic retinopathy remains one of the leading causes of preventable blindness in Eswatini. Due to limited screening capacity, many patients are diagnosed when it’s too late to save their vision.
The new AI-assisted machines can detect eye damage within seconds, enabling early diagnosis and timely treatment even at lower-level health facilities.
What makes this initiative even more powerful is that the devices are user-friendly and can be operated by trained nurses. Two nurses at Mbabane Government Hospital have already completed training, ensuring the machines can be put to use immediately.
The six devices will be deployed to:
- Mbabane Government Hospital
- Pigg’s Peak Hospital
- Mankayane Hospital
- RFM Hospital
- Emkhuzweni Health Centre
- Dvokolwako Health Centre
Minister Matsebula urged health facility managers and NCD program teams to fully utilize the machines for routine screenings and referrals.
“Let these machines be used, not stored. Let them serve as tools of transformation in our healthcare system,” he said.
He also extended deep appreciation to Taiwan, highlighting their ongoing contributions to Eswatini’s health sector in infrastructure, technology, and training.
(Courtesy Pics)
