BY SEBENELE NDLOVU
MBABANE – Officials from the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), together with those from the Ministry of Home Affairs conducted an inspection today (Thursday, May 30, 2024) at Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital, in a bid to bolster birth registration processes within the hospital.
This collaborative effort between UNICEF and the Ministry of Home Affairs underscores a shared commitment to ensuring that every child’s right to official recognition and identity through birth registration is upheld, setting a solid foundation for their future well-being
Speaking during the inspection, Health Specialist Makhosini Mamba expressed satisfaction at the synergy between the Ministry of Health and Home Affairs, underscoring the importance of continued collaboration. “With the printing of the first birth certificate today, I am optimistic about the sustainability of this program across all facilities.” Mamba stated
Meanwhile, Chiara Pierotti stated that UNICEF’s mission was to facilitate the registration and issuance of birth certificates directly at healthcare facilities. Notably, UNICEF had supplied printers, desktops, desks, and chairs last year as part of an initiative to streamline the registration process.
The primary focus of the visit was to evaluate the Civil Registration office dedicated to registering new-born babies promptly. Currently, six facilities, including Mbabane Government Hospital, Raleigh Fitkin Memorial (RFM) Hospital in Manzini, Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital, Nhlangano Health Centre, Hlathikhulu Government Hospital, and Mkhuzweni Health Centre, have been successfully operationalised. These facilities will remain open to the public from Monday to Friday to ensure seamless registration procedures.
Concurrently, Assistant National Civil Registrar Phathizwe Hlatjwako emphasised the significance of health-based registration outlets in accomplishing the department’s ambitious target of achieving 100 percent registration by 2030. Plans, according to Hlatjwako, are underway to augment the staffing levels, with a projected deployment of two officers per health facility to facilitate the registration process effectively.
