UNDP Supports Health Care Systems in Eswatini

UNDP continues to support the COVID-19 national response based on the needs identified by Government under the National Response Plan. As part of support to the health care systems in Eswatini, UNDP has provided health supplies and equipment to the Ministry of Health (MoH) for the provision of delivering health services.  The equipment and supplies include 2 ventilators, 400 pulse oximeters,10 000 examination gloves, 15 750 goggles and 2 000 biohazard bags and valued at US$124 836,06. 

Further areas of support to the Ministry of Health include a partnership with WHO to support MoH with provision additional health personnel to facilitate the incremental re-opening of schools. The Ministry of Health is supporting the Ministry of Education through the School Health Programme to prepare schools for safe opening to ensure prevention of the spread of COVID-19 among learners, educators support staff and other relevant stakeholders. The support of USD 40, 000 will engage additional staff to provide the necessary technical support in the preparation for safe schools and provision of necessary health promotion intervention in the schools. The health workers are engaged on a voluntary basis, and they include intern and pre-intern medical officer, data clerks, and Regional Response Teams.

UNDP has supported the National Disaster Management Agency with the Phase 1 upgrading of the PHEPHA app.  The upgrading of the app is to improve capacities to manage emergencies and enables the NDMA to be proactive in managing and preventing disasters in a well-coordinated strategy for gathering information and statistics to generate reports on incidents and hazards.

To limit exposure and enhance compliance with the WHO and MoH COVID-19 response guidelines and enable business continuity, UNDP procured and donated 120 zoom licenses  to the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, namely the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology, Royal Eswatini Police Service, Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Parliament of Eswatini and the University of Eswatini (UNESWA).  Through the UNDP Accelerator Lab UNESWA students received data bundles to ensure e-learning and access of educational materials for educational continuity.

In line with the identified needs by Government in the National Response, UNDP envisages to continue to support the increase of capacities for public health management for COVID and future emergencies.