Lobamba – King Mswati III has highlighted a sweeping transformation in Eswatini’s healthcare system over his four-decade reign, revealing that the country has grown from approximately six hospitals and 162 clinics in the 1990s to 16 hospitals and a network of over 330 health facilities today.
Delivering his Ruby Jubilee address at Somhlolo National Stadium on Friday, the King pointed to the expansion as evidence of the kingdom’s commitment to ensuring that no citizen should have to travel more than eight kilometres for comprehensive and reliable health services.
Among the milestones cited, the King highlighted Eswatini’s internationally recognised achievements in the fight against HIV/AIDS. The country became one of the first in the world to reach the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target, which aims for 95 percent of people living with HIV to know their status, 95 percent of those to be on treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment to be virally suppressed, well ahead of the 2030 global deadline. 
“Through our tenacity we have earned global recognition as Eswatini is one of the first countries that reached the UNAIDS 95-95-95 target well ahead of the 2030 deadline.”
The King also announced that Eswatini is the first country in Africa to adopt and introduce the innovative long-acting injectable HIV prevention drug, Lenacapavir, which prevents new HIV infections. Mother-to-child HIV transmission has also been brought below five percent, a significant public health achievement.
On malaria, the King noted that Eswatini pioneered and serves as patron of the End Malaria Fund initiative, launched in 2019, under which malaria cases have dropped significantly.
The King also acknowledged progress in social welfare, including the introduction of grants and free healthcare for the elderly and people with disabilities, alongside a recently launched national housing programme and old-age homes. “No Liswati should face old age without dignity, shelter, or care,” he said.
