The Zambian Government has received letters from Sweden and the Netherlands on delayed funding to the ministry of health following the K10 Billion scam.
Finance Minister Dr. Situmbeko Musokotwane says the sum of money withheld is $33 million out of the total donor support of $120 million for the year 2009.
Dr. Musokotwane said this in the capital, Lusaka, Thursday at a joint press briefing with his health counterpart Kapembwa Simbao.
The Finance Minister said government regrets the theft of public funds in the health sector and the impact it might have on the poorest of the poor.
He said the Ministries of Finance and health are currently working on a contingency plan to ensure key health services are provided during the absence of donor support.
Dr. Musokotwane said government will use its own budgetary resources as well as that of co-operating partners who have not suspended their support.[quote]
He said Zambia has agreed to discuss with the embassies of Sweden and the Netherlands to map the way forward beyond investigations already underway.
Dr. Musokotwane said donors have not lost confidence in the manner government is running national affairs adding that delayed funding is only a temporal measure.
And Mr. Simbao said his ministry will run short of K24 billion each month as a result of the delayed funding by Sweden and the Netherlands.
The Health Minister said the worst affected will be district health centres and hospitals as well as HIV and Malaria programmes
[ZNBC]
The masses will now suffer all because of a few greedy individuals. What a shame!
If Zambia receives $120m every year how come our health sector is in such a mess. That is a lot of money. Where does it go? I am sure our touring president will get a lion’s share of it in the game park lodges. I have seen how World Vision and other NGO’s in foreign lands lobby for funds to support mismanaged poor nations. People here go beyond paying their taxes and make donations to support poor nations but all that goes to waste. These government’s have even come up with schemes to reward people as they donate their hard earned moneys. I am sure the delayed $33m is already spent.
This is what Dambisa is talking about, honestly how do we, 45 years after Independence, rely on donors to finance our daily health system needs. Does RB really has any plans to reduce this dependance? No wonder we continue dancing to their tunes e.g EPAs. Shameful indeed.
no. 1 can I have ur number I call u we talk about this?
Thats the problem,….. donors run own government ! RB is a mere spectator and as for now, our sick brothers and sisters can not get medical care just because of a few selfish individuals. These arrests at the Health ministry were made only after the donors intervened.
LT please post this contigency plan if u get a copy
This is the whole point of Dambisa’s argument.Aid creates dependency syndrome. These donors are just evil, they knew of the scams from way back and they involve Dr. Miti and Maureen. It was in their interest to keep quiet so long as contracts were going to their companies and so called consultants. Check the space as more revelations come out.
Liquidate assets of the plunderers to bridge the budget deficit.
minister it is not coz of withdrawn aid,its becouse of thefty!
I can make a better minister.
Umusebanya uyu wa isa.
Very simplistic approach. Sily minister. Why not just go and trade in the streets than pretending to be a DR
I am not surprised about this reaction from the donors… many more are to follow suit.
#4 don’t make me laugh. You’ll definately recognize me at one of our Zambian meetings. Then we can sit down & talk about it over a cup of tea/coffee. Take care.
Dr. Chituwo ran this ministry for quite some time. He must have known what was going on if he really was doing his job. How did things get out of hand to such an extent. What did he sign on and did not sign on? I believe money coming in and out couldn’t just pass by his doors without questioning the projects. He saw his subordinates getting rich and richer. How possible that he did not try to bring in the Auditor General’s office to find out how funds were being disbursed and or visit the projects were money was going. It is either he failed or he did not care or he was part of the scam. People have mentioned Sata, but have failed to point at the person who ran that ministry for almost 6 years. Something must be terribly wrong somewhere and with someone.
Is this not the same Ministry of Health, whose arrogant Permanent Secretary, Simon Miti, was sent back by the Auditor General to bring proofs for MoH’s expenditure?
The few greedy pipo have made the Donors to reduce the funds cos they only think about themselves, what a shame
$120m a year? and yet we do not have mere pain killers in our hospitals. Medical practitioners either get paid late (pa 45 of the month) or not at all. Ubuchushi ta bwakapwe umulanda waba kabwalala twaleka baletuteka!!!
There is no big difference even when the aid is suspended. Most of this money is spent on workshops where people still discuss of all things, how aids is transmitted. The moral fibre in Zambia is eroded people steal drugs from state health institutions without any regard for the poor who are supposed to benefit.
Right now you won’t find any civil servant dedicated to efficient service delivery……and the boma my God knows nothing save for yupping!
I would like to know the salaries scale for doctors in zambia.thanks