Eswatini-Belarus ties spark health care advances

MBABANE, ESWATINI — Eswatini, in an ambitious bid to overhaul its health care system, is partnering with Belarus, paving the way for what officials in the southern African nation hope will be increased access to critical medicines, and the sharing of expertise between Belarusian and Eswatini health care professionals.

 An Eswatini delegation led by Prime Minister Russell Dlamini signed the health care roadmap with Belarus during a weeklong visit in late June. Principal Secretary Bertram Stewart, who was part of the delegation, said the agreement will unlock new access to medicines, medical equipment, and training opportunities, and introduce new models that could alleviate Eswatini’s health care procurement challenges.

"We do look forward to long-term collaborations with Belarus and, of course, the intention is to have reciprocal relations with Belarus wherein whatever we can export to Belarus, they will, subject to quality and price, they will be able to take it and likewise, we will reciprocate by procuring from Belarus whatever we feel is of the right quality for the Kingdom of Eswatini," he said.

According to the World Health Organization, Eswatini has the highest incidence rate of cervical cancer in the world, with 56 new cases per 100,000 women annually. Eswatini also has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in the world, with more than 27% of adults living with the disease. And the country has a limited number of doctors and nurses, and many rural areas lack access to basic health care services.   

While the government’s partnership with Belarus could usher in a new era of improved healthcare in Eswatini, for people like Sheila Coleman, who lost both her son and sister to chronic illnesses, the lack of advanced cancer care in the country has been devastating. For many patients, this has meant costly, life-or-death journeys to South Africa for treatment—a burden the government says it is now working to alleviate.

"I am proud of my country but of late, have been so disappointed with the health sector of this country," Coleman said. "I feel that the government has failed us as Emaswati and I say this because of experiences that I have had. … Being diagnosed with a chronic illness in this country is basically a death sentence."

Thys Louren, a doctor in Eswatini, sees great potential in this health care partnership that could lead to job creation, expert skill attraction, and technology transfer. But he cautions that there are critical questions to answer before this collaboration can be deemed a success.

"What will Belarus benefit from this proposed joint venture," he asked. "Is the purpose of this joint venture for research purposes because it would provide a very attractive cheaper research cost? Or would it focus on import consumables into Eswatini, which is of concern because we already have pharmaceutical companies in Eswatini and cash flow and availability of stock import is the problem.

"Then lastly, is it for the production of pharmaceuticals which could be highly beneficial to Eswatini because it could, one, stimulate local economy and, two, cater for the significant shortage that we are experiencing especially in the cancer care section where chemotherapy is available locally and patients actually have to cross border for treatment."

For many in Eswatini, this is a time of unprecedented need. And the nation is placing its health care hopes in the hands of Belarusian expertise. As the partnership unfolds, the nation awaits a pivotal moment, where either an era of medical breakthroughs is born, or the promise of a new dawn fades into the shadows.