Inhlase

24/02/2026

Eswatini's New Research Review Board to Tackle Rare Diseases

By Nokukhanya Musi

Eswatini, a small landlocked country in Southern Africa, is making strides in strengthening its healthcare system. With a population of approximately 1.2 million people, the country faces various health challenges, including infectious diseases like HIV and tuberculosis, as well as non-communicable diseases such as diabetes and hypertension.
Amidst these challenges, rare diseases often slip through the cracks, affecting individuals and families in profound ways.
Enter Dr. Sabelo Vusi Dlamini, a seasoned public health expert and parasitologist, who has taken the helm of the Eswatini Health and Human Research Review Board (EHHRRB) as its new chair.
Dr. Dlamini brings a wealth of experience and qualifications to his new role, including a Doctor of Public Health (DrPH), Master of Science in Public Health (MScPH), Bachelor of Science (BSc), and certification as a Diabetes Educator (CDE).
As a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eswatini, Dr. Dlamini is well-positioned to drive change in the country's health research landscape.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Dlamini shares the importance of creating awareness in tackling rare diseases in Eswatini.
"Unfortunately, many rare diseases are neglected in the country, suggesting that we need to create awareness through the Health Promotion department. This could also improve awareness among attending healthcare workers (diagnosing doctors and nurses) so that they think of the possibility of a patient developing a rare disease when first reporting for diagnoses. Health promotion could also empower parents of affected children to identify rare conditions early and to seek corrective measures," he explains.
He believes that creating awareness and gathering data on rare diseases are crucial steps towards improving diagnosis and treatment.
"We do need data on rare diseases which we can use to develop patient handling processes (diagnosis and management). Many rare diseases are neglected in the country, suggesting that we need to create awareness through the Health Promotion department," Dr. Dlamini says.
He further notes that rare diseases affect a few people and most of them are non-communicable. Their impact on communities or nationally is small but they have severe impact to the affected individual and close family members that have to take care of the affected individual.
When asked about the challenges in diagnosing rare diseases, Dr. Dlamini notes the healthcare professional such as the doctor, nurse, or other does not immediately think of the rare disease but focuses on the most common cause of the symptoms and treats according to that.
"This delays appropriate diagnosis of the rare disease," he says.
Dr. Dlamini further emphasizes the need for improved laboratory services, saying, "Lack of adequate laboratory services at some facilities limit progress to conclusive diagnosis, causing delay in confirmation of the rare disease."
Explaining the role of the EHHRRB, Dr. Dlamini says, "The Research Review Board has very little to do with healthcare practice but looks at the safety of research processes and does not conduct research itself."
He stresses the importance of research in understanding rare diseases, stating, "Research is supposed to determine the cause(s) of, for example, Blount disease in specific individuals whether it’s environmental, genetic or overload of bones from obesity."
Dr. Dlamini is further committed to prioritizing rare diseases.
The EHHRRB, under Dr. Dlamini's leadership, aims to strengthen the country's research ecosystem and promote ethical research practices.
Dr. Rejoice Nkambule, Deputy Director of Public Health in Eswatini's Ministry of Health, echoes this sentiment, saying, "The creation of the Board demonstrates Eswatini’s commitment to upholding international ethical standards, safeguarding rights and welfare of participants, and ensuring accountability and transparency in health and human research."
She explains that the EHHRRB will work closely with researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders to ensure that research is conducted with integrity and that findings are translated into policy and practice.

"The Board will also provide guidance on ethical issues, review research proposals, and monitor research activities to ensure compliance with national and international standards. We are committed to strengthening the research ecosystem in Eswatini and promoting a culture of research excellence and ethics," she further states.
Both Dr. Dlamini and Dr. Nkambule agree that strengthening Eswatini's research ecosystem is crucial for addressing rare diseases and promoting ethical research practices.
By creating awareness, gathering data, and ensuring research is conducted with integrity, Eswatini can better support individuals affected by rare diseases and contribute to the country's overall health development.

20/02/2026

When Lazarus Chakwera’s Malawi Congress Party (MCP) administration launched the empowerment fund as a state-owned microfinance institution, it was publicly touted as a lifeline for the ultra-poor, one that would boost small business development and, ultimately, bridge the wealth gap.Cabinet ministers, members of parliament (MPs), state house officials, and relatives of the former president were among those who secured hefty loans without required repayment, effectively turning a poverty-alleviation scheme into a grant scheme or private credit line for the politically connected.

Malawi’s government’s microfinance scheme to uplift the “ultra-poor” was hijacked by the political elite. Leaked records show how the National Economic Empowerment Fund (NEEF) was captured by former President Lazarus Chakwera’s family, cabinet ministers and party cheerleaders, sidelining t...

04/02/2026

CIVIL SOCIETY ORGs CONSIDER APPEAL AS HIGH COURT DISMISSES CHALLENGE TO ESWATINI–US DEPORTATION DEAL — WITHOUT RULING ON CONSTITUTIONALITY

By Zwelethu Dlamini

The High Court has dismissed a legal challenge to Eswatini’s controversial deportation arrangement with the United States — not because the deal was found lawful, but because the court ruled that the applicants lacked legal standing (locus standi).

As a result, the court did not consider whether the agreement violates the Constitution, bypassed Parliament, or breached human-rights standards.

The application followed the July 2025 arrival of five men deported by the United States, who were placed under maximum-security detention in Eswatini.

Applicants argued that:
• the agreement was never disclosed or tabled before Parliament,
• it violated constitutional provisions on ratification and transparency,
• detainees were held without clear legal authority or public accountability.

The judges held that the applicants did not have a direct personal interest in the matter and therefore could not approach the court.

Because standing is a threshold issue, the court said there was no need to deal with the substance of the constitutional and human-rights claims.

Civil society organisations say the ruling leaves dangerous gaps in accountability.

The Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC) warned that the decision places the constitutional right to challenge executive power “in grave jeopardy,” arguing that it enables government decisions to be made outside parliamentary and public scrutiny, creating what it called “shadow governance.”

SALC’s Melusi Simelane said public-interest organisations and citizens must be able to defend constitutional principles where human rights and the separation of powers are at risk, warning that the ruling leaves those principles unvindicated.

The Eswatini Litigation Centre said the judgment avoided the real issues, arguing that the Constitution — particularly the duty of citizens to defend it — was meant to open the courts to accountability, not close them. Director Mzwandile Masuku said the court had effectively left the Constitution’s promise of oversight in the hands of a gatekeeper who decides who may be heard and who may not.

The Swaziland Rural Women’s Assembly said the case was never just about five individuals, but about whether people in Eswatini have the right to challenge government decisions. Silencing public-interest voices now, the group warned, weakens democracy for everyone tomorrow.

03/02/2026

Eswatini must take action to protect children and its environment from asbestos mining waste, civil society groups have told Confront.
Situated in southern Africa, Eswatini’s Havelock white asbestos mine closed down over two decades ago, but it left the nearby town of Bulembu burdened with an estimated 50 million tons of asbestos waste, piled some 180 metres high. Much of the waste lies uncontained, shedding microscopic, carcinogenic fibres into the air, particularly during the windy weather. Exposure to asbestos fibres can cause several fatal illnesses, usually decades after exposure, including mesothelioma, lung cancer, and asbestosis.

By Nokukhanya Musi Eswatini must take action to protect children and its environment from asbestos mining waste, civil society groups have told Confront.  Situated in southern Africa, Eswatini’s Havelock white asbestos mine closed down over two decades ago, but it left the nearby town of Bulembu ...

24/01/2026

21/01/2026

Eswatini’s healthcare landscape is marked by significant challenges in addressing rare diseases, with many conditions progressing to disabilities due to research gaps, a lack of knowledge on how to diagnose, and a lack of support for affected individuals.The country faces critical gaps in clinical research capacity, funding, and data-sharing, leaving rare disease communities underserved and often isolated.
Amahle Simelane, a 10-year-old, from Siphofaneni, is one such story. For a decade, Amahle lived with the debilitating effects of Blount disease, a rare paediatric orthopaedic disorder that causes bowlegs and mobility issues.

By Nokukhanya Musi Eswatini’s healthcare landscape is marked by significant challenges in addressing rare diseases, with many conditions progressing to disabilities due to research gaps, a lack of knowledge on how to diagnose, and a lack of support for affected individuals. The country faces criti...

21/01/2026

Residents of Dlangeni woke up to a shocking sight after a mudslide swept through part of their grazing land, washing away soil and carving a deep donga. The damage has also severely affected the pathway leading to the their homes and a burial site for the authorities located in the area. This is believed to be a result of the continuous rains the country has received over the past months, which have caused widespread damage to the environment, roads, and the lives of citizens. Video : Zwelethu Dlamini.

21/01/2026

Residents of Dlangeni woke up to a shocking sight after a mudslide swept through part of their grazing land, washing away soil and carving a deep donga. The damage has also severely affected the pathway leading to the their homes and a burial site for the authorities located in the area. This is believed to be a result of the continuous rains the country has received over the past months, which have caused widespread damage to the environment, roads, and the lives of citizens. Pics: Zwelethu Dlamini.

17/01/2026

Born into a web of challenges, a young boy with bladder exstrophy fights for his chance at an everyday life in the impoverished rural community of Shewula in Eswatini. His birth marked not just the arrival of a new life but the beginning of a daunting battle against societal stigma, inadequate healthcare, and the relentless grip of poverty. For 10-year-old Phiwoyinkosi Masimula, each day is a testament to resilience as he navigates the complexities of his condition while clinging to the hope that a brighter future awaits.

By Nokukhanya Musi Born into a web of challenges, a young boy with bladder exstrophy fights for his chance at an everyday life in the impoverished rural community of Shewula in Eswatini. His birth marked not just the arrival of a new life but the beginning of a daunting battle against societal stigm...

30/12/2025

While the kingdom’s football fans have grown weary of the perennial stadium crisis that has forced the national team, Sihlangu Semnikati, to play home games in South Africa, a more quiet and devastating tragedy is unfolding beneath the feet of eSwatini’s athletes. An investigation by Inhlase can reveal systemic failures in project management, oversight, and procurement integrity at the Ministry of Sports, Culture and Youth Affairs and the Microprojects Unit. At the heart of the scandal is the E6.4 million synthetic athletic track at Somhlolo National Stadium—a facility that was meant to usher in a new era for local sprinters but has instead become a symbol of wasted taxpayer funds and shattered sporting ambitions. Since its installation in 2021, the track has not only failed to meet international standards. Still, it has physically disintegrated, leaving the nation’s elite athletes to train on dangerous roadsides or pay exorbitant fees for the only other viable facility in the country.

By INHLASE REPORTER While the kingdom’s football fans have grown weary of the perennial stadium crisis that has forced the national team, Sihlangu Semnikati, to play home games in South Africa, a more quiet and devastating tragedy is unfolding beneath the feet of eSwatini’s athletes. An investig...

29/12/2025

The frustrating, non-stop rains have come and gone. The rural community is now abuzz with farming activity – the primary source of both sustenance and income for the rural families. As the maize farming season has begun in earnest for the heads of families countrywide, one visually impaired family head, Judah Sylvester Mkoko from the Mafutseni Chiefdom, cuts a forlorn figure due to his landlessness. His plight mirrors the often-overlooked systematic failure of families, communities, traditional structures and government agencies – especially the Social Welfare Department (SWD) and Commission on Human Rights and Public Administration (CHRPA) – to protect the land rights of people with disabilities in eSwatini. The 61-year-old is worried sick that he will, once again, miss this year’s planting season due to the persistent failure of the bodies to resolve a protracted land matter between him and his elder brother to ensure his fundamental right to land access.

By Vuyisile Hlatshwayo The frustrating, non-stop rains have come and gone. The rural community is now abuzz with farming activity – the primary source of both sustenance and income for the rural families. As the maize farming season has begun in earnest for the heads of families countrywide, one v...