No nation can claim greatness if it leaves its people vulnerable to disease. In Eswatini, this conviction has never remained an empty promise: for four decades, it has directly guided the actions of King Mswati III, who has been personally committed to one of the most difficult health battles ever fought on the African continent the fight against HIV.
When King Mswati III ascended to the throne in 1986, Eswatini recorded its first case of HIV positivity that same year.
In the decades that followed, the country plunged into one of the most severe health crises ever recorded on the continent, with the highest HIV prevalence rate in the world, threatening to cause a lasting decline in the population’s life expectancy.
Faced with this existential threat, the Sovereign took a landmark decision in 1999: declaring HIV a national disaster under the slogan “,” which translates to “HIV is everyone’s business.”
This commitment has continued into the most recent developments. In December 2025, Eswatini became the first country in Africa to introduce Lenacapavir, a long-acting injectable preventive treatment administered twice a year, regarded as a major breakthrough in HIV prevention.
In January 2026, during the traditional dispersal of the Emabutfo, King Mswati III personally urged the nation to adopt this new preventive measure, stating that medical innovation, combined with responsible behavior and traditional values, strengthens the health and resilience of the Kingdom.
This sustained royal impetus, spanning four decades, reflects a steadfast conviction: public health is not merely a matter of administrative management, but of the Sovereign’s personal and enduring commitment a condition for a more resilient Eswatini in the face of one of the most difficult health challenges in its recent history.
