Dr. Thembi Dlamini

Dr. Thembi Dlamini is a physician with specialist training in internal medicine and rheumatology at Mbabane Government Hospital — Eswatini's main referral hospital and the country's centre for specialist medical care. With 11 years of clinical experience, Dr. Dlamini is one of a very small number of physicians with rheumatology training serving a nation of approximately 1.2 million people.

Eswatini (formerly Swaziland) faces a dual disease burden of infectious diseases (particularly HIV, which carries one of the world's highest adult prevalence rates) and non-communicable diseases including musculoskeletal disorders. Inflammatory arthritis and lupus are underdiagnosed in Eswatini due to limited specialist availability, and Dr. Dlamini's work in expanding diagnostic and treatment capacity is of significant public health importance.

She trained in South Africa at the University of the Witwatersrand — one of Africa's leading research universities — providing her with access to cutting-edge rheumatology training and exposure to a high-volume specialist practice.

Dr. Dlamini completed her MBChB at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare — a well-established medical faculty that has trained physicians across southern and eastern Africa — and undertook postgraduate specialist training in Internal Medicine at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa, one of Africa's leading research universities, earning the MMed (Master of Medicine) in Internal Medicine.

She subsequently completed a Certificate in Rheumatology through the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA) training programme — the established clinical pathway for rheumatology competence in southern Africa, involving supervised clinical exposure to inflammatory arthritis, connective tissue disease, and crystal arthropathy, with formal assessment of diagnostic and management skills. Her training at Wits gave her access to a significantly higher volume of rheumatology cases than is available within Eswatini.

Dr. Dlamini manages inflammatory arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis with DMARD therapy (methotrexate, hydroxychloroquine, sulfasalazine) and biologic agents where accessible. In lupus (SLE), she manages cutaneous, articular, and renal manifestations, coordinating nephrology input for lupus nephritis. She manages gout with urate-lowering therapy and crystal arthropathy. She performs joint aspirations, intra-articular and soft tissue steroid injections. She also manages osteoporosis and coordinates DEXA scanning for fracture risk assessment.

Dr. Dlamini provides specialist rheumatology consultations primarily for Eswatini's resident population at Mbabane Government Hospital. She also sees patients referred from neighbouring South Africa and Mozambique who require rheumatology consultation in Mbabane. International visitors, NGO workers, and missionaries in Eswatini who develop musculoskeletal symptoms or require monitoring of pre-existing rheumatic conditions can access her outpatient clinic.

Video consultations are available for patients in remote regions of the country and for Eswatini diaspora members in South Africa, the United Kingdom, or further afield who require ongoing guidance on arthritis or lupus management. She consults in English, siSwati, and Zulu, making her accessible to southern African patients and to international English-speaking visitors. For biologic therapy and advanced rheumatological investigations, she facilitates referral to specialist centres in South Africa.

Dr. Dlamini trained at the University of the Witwatersrand — one of Africa's leading academic and research medical institutions — and holds the SARAA Certificate in Rheumatology, credentials that reflect a standard of rheumatology training significantly above what is typically available within Eswatini's own medical training system. She is a member of the Eswatini Medical Association and the South African Rheumatism and Arthritis Association (SARAA), contributing to continuing education and rheumatology awareness across southern Africa.

Her work in establishing specialist rheumatology consultation at Mbabane Government Hospital is recognised within the regional medical community as a significant contribution to bringing evidence-based rheumatology care to an underserved nation. She has contributed to rheumatology capacity-building in Eswatini, including advocating for greater access to biologic therapy through the public health system.