Matsapha- A patient admissions ward at Hospice Care Centre that has stood idle for more than a
decade due to water infrastructure challenges is set for a major revival following an intervention by
MTN Eswatini under its annual 21 Days of Y’ello Care campaign.
The initiative aims to restore the ward’s functionality through repairs to critical water infrastructure and
the provision of beds, paving the way for the facility to once again admit patients requiring short-term
palliative care.
Speaking at the facility’s premises during the announcement of the help, Hospice CareCentre Director
Zodwa Gamedze said the organisation primarily provides care through a home-based model, supporting
more than 600 patients across the country.
However, she explained that some patients require temporary admission for intensive symptom
management before returning home.
“We provide care mainly through a home-based approach, but there are patients who need to be
admitted for two or three days so that symptoms can be controlled before they return home.
Unfortunately, we have not been able to offer that service because this ward has not been functional,”
she said.
Gamedze said the ward has remained unused for over a decade due to challenges affecting the
building’s water infrastructure. While a faulty pressure-regulating valve was among the issues, she said
several other defects within the system had contributed to the ward’s closure.
On this day, members of MTN’s Finance Department successfully restored the pressure-regulating valve,
marking the first phase of efforts to bring the facility back into operation. Further rehabilitation work,
including improvements to the water system and the provision of beds, is expected to continue under
the project.
The hospice director said the closure of the ward had created a significant gap in palliative care services.
She noted that Hospice Care Centre provides mainly community and home-based care, while patients
requiring short-term admission have limited options.
Gamedze pointed out that Hope House remains the country’s only dedicated in-patient palliative care
facility and is increasingly overwhelmed by the growing number of patients requiring specialized care.
“The need continues to grow. Having this ward operational again will help bridge an important gap in
service delivery and ensure that patients receive the care they need when their symptoms cannot be
managed at home,” she said.
MTN Foundation Coordinator Evidence Ntshalintshali said the intervention reflects the company’s
commitment to promoting equitable access to essential services in communities across Eswatini.
“We understand that while hospitals provide critical healthcare services, there is still a gap when it
comes to palliative care. Hospice has been doing important work in supporting patients and families
over the years, and we felt it was important to extend a helping hand by rehabilitating this facility for
the people who need it most,” she said.
Ntshalintshali said the initiative demonstrates how partnerships between the private sector and
community organizations can help address pressing social and healthcare challenges.
Once completed, the project is expected to restore the hospice’s ability to provide short-term in-patient
palliative care, helping to ease pressure on existing facilities while expanding access to specialized care
for patients with life-limiting illnesses.
For Hospice at Home, the reopening of the admissions ward represents more than the rehabilitation of a
building. It marks the restoration of a critical service that has been unavailable for years and offers
renewed hope to patients and families who depend on palliative care support.
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