MATSANJENI – “Siyabekhuta Bugwadla,” says the Prime Minister (PM), Russell Mmiso Dlamini.
The PM was urging the Matsanjeni North community to bring back abstinence during the Lubombo Regional World AIDS commemoration, which was hosted by the National Emergency Response Council on HIV and AIDS (NERCHA) yesterday.
Dlamini told the gathering that government’s visit to the area was intended to remind the nation that Eswatini has still not conquered HIV and AIDS and that the epidemic remains a serious challenge for communities across the country.
He said although the nation had made progress, the disease continued to have a devastating impact on individuals, families and the broader society. “It is still a major problem in the country,” Dlamini emphasised.
The premier highlighted the statistics presented by the NERCHA Chairperson Ntsika Fakudze, revealing that 39 000 people in Eswatini are known to be living with HIV and AIDS. Of these, 22 000 are women, a figure he described as deeply concerning. “These are huge numbers, because some people still do not know their status,” he said.
Dlamini further revealed that 4 000 people, mostly young females, become infected with HIV every year. He expressed concern that the country’s future generations were at risk, as those who are considered the youth and leaders of tomorrow continue to be disproportionately affected. “The young that is expected to be the future of this country will be the future infected,” he said.
According to the prime minister, when young people contract HIV, they also risk spreading it further, which creates a cycle of infection that the country is struggling to break. He stressed that the 95-95-95 target is a sign of progress in treatment and care, but it does not mean the country has reached the finish line. “We still have not gotten where we hope to get,” he said.
Dlamini emphasised that the nation’s ultimate goal is to achieve zero new infections annually. Only then, he said, would Eswatini be able to truly celebrate victory over HIV and AIDS.
The Prime Minister went on to address the youth directly, using culturally resonant metaphors to highlight the importance of abstinence. “Bafana, emantfombatana kakhulu ngoba ngibo laba nalogesi,” he said, explaining that girls and young women possess the qualities that attract men.
*Full article available in our publication
