E7M CLINIC RELIEF FOR HLANE RESIDENTS

HLANE – Residents of Entandweni and Hlane will heave a sigh of relief as they will no longer travel over 20 kilometres to access health services.

Their relief is courtesy of one of many capital projects initiated by government to construct health facilities in the Lubombo Region. The health facility, which is said to be worth over E7 million, is being constructed at Mbalenhle. This is a community located about five kilometres from King Mswati III International Airport. It is said it shall service over four communities in the area that fall under two constituencies. According to a community member, Bheki Simuka, the construction of the hospital has been a blessing in disguise to him in different facets.

This, he said, was because it would not only cut on his transport costs when seeking medical services but it was currently a source of income as he was one of 24 people employed by the construction company. The construction company, Eswatini Asset Developers, employed community members in the construction of the health facility. Samuka said this became a blessing as employment opportunities were limited following the advent of COVID-19 in the country.

In previous years, he said his source of income was being a seasonal worker in the sugarcane cutting industry and this year, he had not secured the job. Furthermore, he said surrounding communities would benefit as they would not travel to as far as Mafutseni or Hlane Royal Residence where they were currently getting health services. This was further supported by Dvokodvweni Constituency Member of Parliament Mduduzi Magagula. He said the construction of the facility would assist senior citizens that were monthly supposed to travel to hospitals for their medication for ailments such as diabetes and blood pressure. The legislator said the communities that would benefit were Hlane, Khuphuka, Malindza and Ngomane. Previously, he said the populations from these communities were currently using a clinic that serviced only five per cent of their population.

“The new clinic is in a suitable location as it is central and will result in a majority of the constituents travelling a minimal distance to get health services,” Magagula said. Upon completion, Magagula prayed that the clinic should not be a white elephant and or issue prescription letters instead of medication. He appealed to government that it be provided with adequate health equipment and medication. The MP also pleaded for the construction of nurses’ houses as he said they would need them in order to provide adequate services. The legislator further said their prayer as a constituency was to have more clinics constructed at Malindza and Siweni as these communities had a high population. Another plea by Magagula was that government should assist with a maternity ward at the hospital as the population currently travelled to Siteki when seeking that kind of service.

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