BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – The World Health Organization (WHO) has welcomed the Government of Eswatini’s launch of the Verbal Autopsy initiative, describing it as a significant milestone in the country’s efforts to improve mortality surveillance and strengthen public health systems.
Speaking during the launch event held at Hilton Garden Inn in Mbabane on July 31, 2025, WHO Representative in Eswatini, Dr Susan Tembo, emphasised the importance of accurate, timely, and reliable data in promoting universal health coverage and improving population well-being. She highlighted the crucial role that Verbal Autopsy will play in generating high-quality data on deaths occurring outside of health facilities.
According to Dr Tembo, many African countries—including Eswatini—face significant data gaps on causes of death in community settings. Without this information, targeted and evidence-based health interventions become difficult to implement. The Verbal Autopsy initiative, supported by WHO technical and operational guidance, aims to close this gap by enabling structured interviews with relatives and caregivers of deceased persons to help determine the likely cause of death.
Dr Tembo noted that the WHO has been actively involved in building Eswatini’s health information systems capacity, particularly in the areas of mortality reporting, use of ICD-11 for medical certification, training of health workers, and piloting of verbal autopsy tools. These efforts are now coming to fruition with the national roll-out of the Verbal Autopsy project.
The WHO Representative further stated that Eswatini’s alignment with international standards—guided by the WHO Verbal Autopsy Reference Group (VARG)—will ensure that the data generated is not only locally useful but globally comparable and relevant for policymaking.
She praised the leadership of the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Home Affairs, as well as the dedication of rural health motivators, statisticians, and all stakeholders involved in the successful implementation of the project.
Dr Tembo concluded by reaffirming WHO’s continued support to Eswatini in scaling up the initiative. She expressed confidence that the country’s efforts would lead to better-informed decisions, stronger health systems, and improved health outcomes for all.
The Verbal Autopsy initiative in Eswatini is currently being piloted in the Hhohho and Shiselweni regions from July 2025 to June 2026.
