SVP Cathy Thompson joined military officials, partners and Caitlin Piper, the Charge de’Affairres for Eswatini, to officially handover the newly renovated and expanded staff housing building to the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force (UEDF) and the Eswatini government.
The renovations were made possible with support from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the U.S. Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program (DHAPP), the UEDF, and the Eswatini government’s Micro-Projects Programme through the URC DOD Project.
The old staff accommodation building posed health risks and lacked adequate space for the growing health workforce. The renovated facility houses up to 48 people, triple the original capacity of 16. The larger capacity for patients improves the clinic’s response time, quality, and capabilities.
Facility Serves the Military and Many Civilians
The Phocweni clinic offers a wide range of comprehensive and integrated services, including prevention, treatment, and care packages for HIV, tuberculosis (TB), non-communicable diseases, and other health conditions. The facility has approximately 66 staff members, including five doctors, nurses, psychologists, laboratory technologists, pharmacy technicians, counselors and other support staff, who serve approximately 120,000 clients each year – 80% of whom are civilians.
URC is the implementing partner for the Department of Defense HIV/AIDS Prevention Program Eswatini (DoD Eswatini URC Project), which supports all the 10 UEDF clinics. A key project task is providing direct service and technical support to reduce the number of new HIV, TB, and sexually transmitted infections among UEDF members, their families, and the civilian communities served by UEDF health service.
Said URC’s Thompson: “URC is committed to our partnership with the UEDF, and other stakeholders in the provision of the highest-possible quality of health care in the military and the kingdom of Eswatini for a sustained HIV epidemic control. We value the support of PEPFAR and DHAPP for this great work and the outstanding work of the UEDF clinical teams.”
U.S. Charge d’Affaires Caitlin Piper was joined by the DHAPP Branch Chief Dr. Michael Grillo in handing over the structure on behalf of the US Government. Said Piper: “The U.S. Government through PEPFAR is committed to ensuring a safe working environment for all health care workers-this is at the core of our mission to combat HIV and invest in the health of all Eswatini. “
The handover event also was attended by:
- UEDF Commander General M.M. Fakudze;
- Robert Girardi, DHAPP Desk Officer;
- Dr. Tyrone Lapidos, PEPFAR DoD Program Manager;
- Mark Giambrone, PEPFAR Coordinator for Eswatini;
- Colonel Joshua Simelane, Military Health Services Director
- Velaphi Dlamini, Prinicipal Health Administrator (representing Ministry of Health Director, Dr. Velephi Okello);
- Lt. Col. Banele Dlamini, Commanding Officer for UEDF medics; and
- Victoria Masuku, URC Project Director for the DoD Eswatini URC Project, among other high-profile guests.
