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The Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has donated six units of AI-assisted diagnostic equipment for diabetic retinopathy worth E1.2 million to the Ministry of Health, in a move aimed at strengthening the fight against metabolic diseases.
The handover ceremony took place yesterday at Mbabane Government Hospital. Speaking at the event, Taiwan’s Ambassador to Eswatini, Jeremy Liang, said the donation was in response to the growing number of people seeking medical care for chronic conditions.
He noted that Taiwan’s support targets the management of complications arising from chronic metabolic diseases, particularly diabetic retinopathy.
“As AI technology continues to evolve, we anticipate more advanced medical applications in the future. This is only the first step in our collaboration with the Ministry of Health on AI-powered healthcare solutions,” he said.
Liang explained that the donation forms part of Taiwan’s Smart Healthcare and Health Industry cooperation with Eswatini. Taiwan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Chia-Lung Lin, officially presented the equipment during his visit to the Kingdom in April.
The six AI-assisted diagnostic units have been deployed to:
Mbabane Government Hospital
Pigg’s Peak Government Hospital
Mankayane Government Hospital
Raleigh Fitkin Memorial Hospital
Dvokolwako Health Centre
Mkhuzweni Health Centre
User training has been completed under the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Project. “Following final testing and calibration, the devices are now ready for service. It is with great pleasure that we launch this equipment here today,” Liang said.
Liang further outlined Taiwan’s broader partnership with the Ministry of Health, including the Project for Strengthening Metabolic Chronic Disease Prevention and Control Systems, launched in 2024. The four-year programme focuses on the Hhohho and Manzini regions.
“At the facility level, we train clinical personnel and provide essential equipment and supplies for disease screening across 30 selected health facilities covering nearly 50% of service capacity in these two regions. At the community level, we reach rural areas through health promotion and screening activities,” he said.
Encouraging results have already been recorded which include 28% increase in hypertension care services, 36% increase in diabetes care services. There is over 60% of patients with both conditions returning for follow-up within three months and 80% referral rate for high-risk individuals identified during community screenings
“These figures clearly demonstrate a growing public awareness of chronic disease prevention and self-care,” Liang added.
Minister of Health Mduduzi Matsebula expressed pride that two nurses at Mbabane Government Hospital are already trained to operate the machines.
He thanked Taiwan for the support through the Taiwan ICDF, and commended the nurses for embracing the innovation.
“You are not just operating a machine, you are giving a patient the chance to watch their children grow, to remain employed, and to live independently,” Matsebula said.
He urged facility managers and NCD programme teams to ensure the devices are used regularly for screening, documentation, and referrals.
“The machines should not gather dust but must be tools of transformation. I challenge our health system to scale up this innovation so that no patient in Eswatini loses their sight due to late detection of diabetic eye disease,” he said.
Matsebula described the AI-driven fundoscopy equipment as a game-changing solution that allows automated detection of eye damage within seconds, operated by trained nurses, and bringing advanced diagnostics closer to patients.
