- The proportion of citizens who report going without essential medical care at least once during the past year more than doubled between 2015 (33%) and 2025 (75%) (Figure 1).
- Six in 10 Emaswati (61%) report having contact with a public clinic or hospital during the 12 months preceding the survey (Figure 2). Among these respondents: o Six in 10 say it was “easy” (43%) or “very easy” (18%) to get the services they needed in public facilities (Figure 3). o Nearly nine in 10 (88%) say they experienced a lack of medicines or medical supplies in public health facilities (Figure 4). o Majorities also report long wait times (79%) and unaffordable costs of care (61%), while half (50%) say medical staff were absent and 44% report that facilities were in poor condition.
- More than seven in 10 citizens (72%) say the government is doing “fairly badly” or “very badly” on improving basic health services (Figure 5). o Youth (aged 18-25) are more likely than older generations to be satisfied with the government’s health performance (40% vs. 20%-26%), while dissatisfaction with health-care provision increases with poverty and education.
Three-fourths of Emaswati went without medical care at least once during the past year, a recent Afrobarometer survey reveals. That is more than twice the share who went without medicines or medical treatment a decade ago.
Six in 10 citizens had contact with a public hospital or clinic in the 12 months prior to the survey. Among them, three-fifths found it “easy” or “very easy” to get the services they needed in public facilities.
But large majorities of respondents who visited public health facilities encountered significant problems, including nearly nine in 10 who say they experienced a lack of medicines or medical supplies.
More than seven in 10 Emaswati say the government is doing a poor job of improving basic health services.