Lobamba – Senators have called for clearer answers and stronger assurances on the Eswatini Medical Supplies Agency (EMSA) Bill, 2025 after stakeholders presented detailed concerns to the Senate Portfolio Committee for the Ministry of Health.
During public consultations, senators questioned the Bill’s readiness to address persistent weaknesses in the country’s medical supply system. They challenged the Ministry of Health on its consultation process, especially after the Eswatini Pharmaceuticals Association (EPA) revealed it had not been involved during the initial drafting phase because it did not yet exist at the time. Senators noted that earlier engagement with key stakeholders could have prevented several gaps now emerging.
A major point of debate arose when the EPA proposed that the Agency should prioritise citizen-owned pharmaceutical suppliers. Senators warned that such a policy might inflate pricing or expose capacity gaps among local suppliers. The EPA responded that local companies were competitive and often priced lower than South African suppliers, adding that supply disruptions were linked not to capacity shortfalls but to inconsistent ordering patterns, delayed payments and uncertainty caused by the government’s shift to framework contracts
Senators also engaged robustly with the Eswatini Catholic Parliamentary Liaison Office (ECPLO), which presented concerns about procurement timelines, inadequate storage facilities, weak whistle-blower protections, limits on emergency procurement and the absence of structured facility-based ordering. Lawmakers praised the Catholic Church for establishing a specialised unit to scrutinise legislation and commended the office for its thorough engagement.
They described the stakeholder submissions as comprehensive and valuable, encouraging continued collaboration to strengthen parliamentary oversight as the Bill progresses.
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