Faster growth and HIV/AIDS action needed

Swaziland needs faster economic growth to narrow the gap between rich and poor, and stronger measures against HIV/AIDS, according to the new Swaziland Human Development Report, produced by a forum of national groups with support from UNDP.

Swaziland, with nearly one million people, ranks among medium human development countries in terms of the UNDP Human Development Index - based on income level, educational attainment and life expectancy - a UNDP statement said. Average yearly income per person is US $1,360, three-quarters of adults are literate and Swazis live 58 years on average. Nonetheless, the country faces a "high level of inequality, poverty and deprivation," the report said.

There are wide income disparities: the richest 10 percent of Swazis account for 43 percent of total income, while the poorest 40 percent earn only 14 percent, the report added.

To address poverty, the report recommended encouraging labour-intensive industries and the informal sector to expand job opportunities. Though a large proportion of government spending goes to education, health and other social services, people living in rural areas - 70 percent of the population - are underserved.

The government budget needs to be reoriented towards "more productive allocations in health, education and other social service sectors," while the private sector should be encouraged to focus on creating more jobs and higher incomes, said Elizabeth Lwanga, UNDP Resident Representative.

Swaziland is among the countries in southern Africa at the epicentre of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the report noted, and has one of the highest incidence rates in the world, with 22 percent of adults infected. HIV/AIDS cases now take up more than half of the beds in some health centres, displacing other patients and stretching their capacity to the limit.

In addition to a devastating impact on households and the labour force, the report cited estimates that HIV/AIDS could cost the education system US $91 million from 1999 to 2016, due to the cost of sick leave and teacher training to fill vacant posts.

Calling HIV/AIDS "a national scourge", the UNDP report said dealing with it requires broad and coordinated national action. In addition to the country's National HIV/AIDS Strategy, the report called for further actions, including adding a comprehensive HIV/AIDS component to all training and education programmes, and expanding health facilities.