The healthcare sector continues to grapple with drug shortages despite an offer extended by the Republic of India for the last two years for access to what is deemed affordable and high-quality medication.
The medication will be availed through the Indian Pharmacopoeia (IP), which is an official publication that sets the standards for the quality, safety, efficacy and identity of medicines in India. It is developed and maintained by the Indian Pharmacopoeia Commission (IPC), a body under the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
But government has still not signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) regarding this opportunity to alleviate the ongoing medical supply crisis. Instead, government continues to mull on the document and its contents.
Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Khanya Mabuza, confirmed that the MoU with India had been extended for some time, but government was still reviewing its contents.
“We are still reviewing the MoU in relation to the SADC (Southern African Development Community) region,” Mabuza said, emphasising that the agreement should be tailored not only to the country’s needs, but also to align with the broader Southern African Development Community (SADC) context.
It is well documented that the kingdom has been sourcing many of its drugs from India, but outside the pharmacopoeia.
Adoption of the pharmacopoeia would enable the country to access high-quality generic medications at significantly lower costs compared to branded alternatives. Given that India is one of the world’s largest producers of generic drugs, this collaboration would be an essential step towards addressing the country’s persistent drug shortages, especially in public health facilities.
With government’s dragging ‘careful’ consideration of the proposal, the delay adds to the daily frustration of members of the public seeking healthcare in government health facilities that are lacking in medication.
Meanwhile, India’s High Commissioner to Eswatini, Ram Prasad, in a recent interview with the Sunday Observer, emphasised the urgency and potential of the partnership, which could provide vital relief for the kingdom’s healthcare system.
“Once Eswatini agrees to the IP, we will be ready to exchange the supply of drugs and pharmaceuticals to Eswatini at the same costs as in India, which is quite low,” Prasad said.
This deal would allow the country to benefit from India’s Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and World Health Organization standards, ensuring that the medicines supplied meet internationally recognised quality norms. Prasad pointed to Mozambique as a country that had already signed the agreement, benefiting from lower drug costs and higher-quality medicines.
Other SADC members, including Malawi, Botswana and Seychelles, have also taken advantage of the opportunity to integrate the Indian Pharmacopoeia into their own pharmaceutical systems.
“We offered pharmacopoeia two years ago. The invitation is still extended, so as soon as the Eswatini team is ready to go to India we will set up a meeting. Whatever health related cooperation Eswatini wants we are ready to provide, but the finer details can be discussed in India,” said Prasad.
The high commissioner also wished that King Mswati III’s declaration that the problem of shortage of drugs in the country should be no more is eventually realised.
He said India is ready to offer cooperation aligned with His Majesty’s call for ‘Nkwe’—a term used to describe swift and decisive action to address issues.
A year ago, during the 79th Independence Day of India celebrations at India House in the capital city, Prasad spoke about the IP offer on the table.
He said Eswatini had not yet signed the agreement but believed it remained under government consideration. “It would be a big step forward for the country, particularly in light of the current medical crisis,” he said at the time. Prasad also mentioned the ongoing health sector engagements between India and Eswatini.
In June 2024, a joint working group on health met with the government to discuss cooperation. Eswatini was invited to India for the next round of talks, understandably yet to take place.
While the ongoing drug shortages in the kingdom remain a pressing issue, Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula recently voiced his commitment to solving the crisis, pledging to work with drug suppliers to ensure the timely delivery of medical supplies to health facilities.
Following King Mswati III’s directive during the official opening of the Third Session of the 12th Parliament last Friday that drug shortages must be eradicated immediately, Matsebula said government would focus on the ‘Nkwe’ mandate.
In his address, the king had reminded the nation that ‘a productive nation is a healthy nation,’ while acknowledging the enormous task of achieving this goal.
He acknowledged the major outcry over drug shortages and directed that every patient seeking medical treatment should find the necessary drugs available at health facilities without delay.
The minister said in the meantime, the ministry would push for available stock at Central Medical Stores (CMS) to be provided to facilities with urgency.
He said the CMS staff were encouraged to focus on dispatching stock out of the warehouse and deliveries be made to facilities in all regions.
