UN Supports Regional Teams to Conduct COVID-19 Awareness in Communities

Minister of Tinkhundla Administration and Development, Mr. Cruiser Ndlangamandla has hailed the leadership of Prince Gija, the Manzini Regional Administrator, for championing a multisectoral team that is ensuring infection prevention and control of the coronavirus in the region.

The UN in Eswatini is supporting the regional teams with a three-month campaign to enhance community mobilization on COVID-19 prevention and control. The campaign includes training of community-based volunteers, provision of transport, loudhailers and information materials as well as complementary awareness through the mass media, social media and outdoor media.

The Minister accompanied the Manzini Regional COVID-19 Task Team as they conducted awareness and training in three Tinkhundla centres: Lobamba Lomdzala, Ntondozi and Nhlambeni. “If this kind of leadership can be emulated in all the regions, the coronavirus will have no place in this Kingdom,” said Ndlangamandla. “You have been able to bring together all stakeholders in the region under one mission to end the spread of the COVID-19.”

The Manzini Region has a total of 18 Tinkhundla. It is currently the leading region with Covid-19 case incidence with 82 confirmed cases out of the total 123 reported in the country.

The Regional Administrator chairs the regional task team which comprise various stakeholders including government ministries, security forces, municipalities, civil society, private sector and faith-based organizations. The team has embarked on a mission to reach all Tinkhundla centres in the region with infection and control messaging through the already existing structures of community leaderships. “We are here to make sure that the chiefs, tindvuna, community police, rural health motivators, regiments for boys, girls, women and men all understand what needs to be done to prevent the further spread of the pandemic,” said Prince Gija at Lobamba Lomdzala. “After the training we are confident that you will ensure awareness and full compliance of the Covid-19 regulations in your communities.”

The outreach programme also targets densely populated locations in urban and peri-urban areas which are considered to be hotspots in the transmission of the virus. A team of volunteers from NDMA, Red Cross and the Police were dispersed to Mahlanya business area including the market as well as informal settlements in Malkerns. “Our outreach programme is two-pronged,”  said Prince Gija. “As we are meeting with you at the Inkhundla, another team is going through the community targeting busy areas such as the markets and shops.”

The Minister used the visits to distribute face masks to the Tinkhundla teams which were donated by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) and the National Emergency Response Council on HIV&AIDS (NERCHA). In Ntondozi, the prevention materials were received by Minister of Tourism and Envionmental Affairs, Mr. Moses Vilakati, who is a Member of Parliament in the area. Nhlambeni Member of Parliament, Mr. Manzi Zwane also received the materials on behalf of his constituency.

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