In opening the Second Session of the 11th Parliament on the 31st January 2020, His Majesty’s directive for the HIV response in 2020 was that the HIV response must be planned at Inkhundla (constituency) and chiefdom levels, which will put the communities at the centre of the epidemic and this approach would ensure that no one is left behind.
Addressing HIV and AIDS issues, His Majesty assured the nation that ending AIDS by 2022 is on track. The King said in 2019, the world united in France to mobilize resources for the fight against HIV/AIDS where Eswatini pledged US$6 million over a three-year period. He said from this pledge, the country was pleased that the Global Fund had in turn committed the highest amount ever received by the Kingdom. He said this would enhance the country’s performance on the global HIV indicators which had shown great improvement over the last three years.
“The number of new HIV infections are decreasing, AIDS-related deaths declining and people living with HIV on treatment are virally suppressed,” he said. The King further added that mothers were giving birth to children free from HIV, and that these were all positive signs that Eswatini was indeed on the right track to achieve its vision of ending AIDS as a public health threat.
His Majesty noted though, that in as much as there were great successes, there was still a lot to accomplish in the next 2 years and efforts must reach the most vulnerable populations at risk of contracting HIV. He further extended appreciation for the technical and financial support received from development partners.