Correcting Misinformation in Eswatini Observer Article, 23 Mar. 2025, Written by Sibusiso Dlamini

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
23 March 2025

The Luke Commission Responds: The Loudest Voices Remain Silent on the Real Issues

Over the past week, one publication has released over 15 pages of coverage, including four front pages across five consecutive issues—all centering on The Luke Commission. This sustained media blitz began without provocation from TLC. It was not triggered by a social media post. It was not a response to any public statement from us. It was instigated by those who, for reasons the public deserves to question, seem committed to undermining a hospital that has quietly served the nation for nearly two decades.

After the second front-page misinformation article, our Executive Director released a social media post in response to the misinformation. Calm. Measured. Truthful. In that post, we asked why the same small group of voices—some now clearly losing public credibility—continued to dominate national headlines while the real issues affecting patients remained unaddressed. We did not insult anyone. We did not accuse individuals of corruption. We did not use the word “cabal.” And yet, that single post triggered yet another front page—this time, laced with misquotes, selective outrage, and the Ministry of Health’s first official statement on TLC in the past year.

But that statement didn’t address months of public confusion. It didn’t clarify the status of agreements, acknowledge previously denied documents, or confirm the submission of utilization and programmatic reports. Instead, it condemned TLC for sharing records—records the nation had been told didn’t exist. That should concern every Emaswati.

To clarify a point that has received outsized attention: a single budget line allocated for The Luke Commission—equivalent to 0.15% of the national budget, and less than 2% of the national health budget—has consumed nearly the entire national discussion in Senate and media this week. Does anyone else find that suspect?

We are grateful to every donor who has supported our work over the past 20 years, including the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, which generously contributed E30 million in cash funding in 2024. That contribution represented 1% of the national health budget and covered 7% of TLC’s total expenditures—yet TLC managed one of the largest, most complex, and specialized caseloads in the country, with one of the most robust supply chain systems.

Still, this small line item has become the centerpiece of national political theater. Why?

Let us be clear: TLC has submitted hundreds of pages of documentation, welcomed every audit, answered every question, and hosted hundreds of independent tours of Miracle Campus. Every visitor walks away saying the same thing:

“This is a first-world hospital, with the most compassionate staff and the most efficient systems we’ve ever seen in the world.”

We do not fear transparency. We live it.
What we do oppose is manipulation—and the coordinated use of headlines to distract from the real issues that affect patient care.

If the Senate is determined to “shake off” its sleepy reputation, let productivity be measured not by how many times TLC is mentioned in speeches, but by how many Emaswati lives are saved through systemic reform.

Criticism of a hospital that has hosted over 1.5 million free patient visits in 20 years—and has only ever once received direct government financial support—sends a troubling message to the international community. It tells the world that integrity is suspicious and accountability is threatening.

Let’s be honest: this is not about The Luke Commission.
This is about truth being told—and power being challenged.

TLC does not threaten national interests.
What threatens Eswatini’s future is the coordinated effort to punish integrity, suppress truth, and discourage international investment in real, lasting solutions.

We will not be intimidated into silence.
We will continue to speak truthfully, operate transparently, and deliver healthcare with compassion and excellence.

Because lives are priceless.
And the lives of Emaswati are worth far more than power plays, propaganda, or political theatre.

The Luke Commission remains ready to serve, and unwilling to be silenced—for the sake of every life that still depends on truth.

For further inquiries, please contact: Lindani Sifundza, Director of Communications, The Luke Commission +268 7808 7200