At least 85 clinics in eSwatini will utilise $6 million provided by Taiwan to install communication equipment in support of maternal health in the kingdom.
This marks the second phase of the project, which was first piloted in 20 clinics belonging to the Church of the Nazarene two years ago.
Health Minister Lizzie Nkosi on Wednesday said the beginning of this phase will see 85 more health institutions acquiring the equipment that allows consultative conferencing between doctors from smaller health facilities and those from referral facilities.
“Research has shown that regular antenatal and postnatal visits to clinics have cut down maternal deaths. It is for this reason that our government has prioritized this communication technology in maternal health,” the minister said.
In the last four years, the number of women who died during pregnancy and childbirth dropped from 160 in 2015 to 89 in 2018.
BM/as/APA