Friday, March 29, 2024

Free health care coming within 90 days

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Health Deputy Minister Dr Patrick Chikusu says government is determined to improve the health care system in the country.

Dr Chikusu says the PF government has a target of offering free quality health care in 90 days.

He says that the need for health care service in the country is enormous.

Dr Chikusu was speaking during a hand over ceremony of various medical equipment and cleaning materials worth 50 million Kwacha to Chawama First level hospital by Standard Chartered Bank.

He says government will continue to foster the private public partnership to better the lives of Zambians.

He has thanked Standard Chartered bank for its continued partnership with the Ministry of Health.

And Standard Chartered Bank Managing Director Mizinga Melu says the bank’s commitment is to demonstrate support to the community.

Earlier, Chawama Health Centre Nursing Sister, Jane Botha said that the hospital is grateful for the continued support from the community.

ZNBC

33 COMMENTS

  1. We honestly have to start from somewhere. Buy equipment and instruments, drugs and then we are set. If George Kunda wants to go to Morningside for shiki let him go.

  2. Natwikatishanye inchito iyi Zambians.

    #1 – George Kunda’s shiki is a a strain on its own. Even morning side couldn’t cure it. Chingwele…

  3. i dont support free medical,the govt should continue charging the fair fee,the little ngwees paid will be used to buy beddings,mattress,and other non medical items which are lacking in our hospital,BLESSED IS THE HAND THAT GIVES,but NO body should be denied medical coverages.increase rural allowance for the clinical doctors.till we reach a time when things a far better.

  4. @Planzo. What you are forgetting is in Zambia we have always followed the British way of doing things. We technically should have what they have in Britain-NHS. People are taxed and are supposed to technically get free health care. Unless we change things and go the Yankie way. But means we have to pay them enough to get medical insurance.

    It`s a double egded sword!

  5. To have a functioning free healthcare system the economy has to grow much more quickly than its doing, and its growth is still quite impressive. If the economy isn’t growing enough to reduce unemployment in meaningful terms how on earth can free healthcare be even talked of now?

    I support the notion of free healthcare but I believe that the tax bracket needs to be widened first and that means creating a larger middle class. The PF needs to become more focused. Right now they are just saying random stuff that tickles the ears but lacks substance. They need to focus on investment first and out of investment create a situation where more jobs can be created and healthcare can be paid for among others.

  6. Zambians surely deserve it. A healthy nation is a prosperous nation. If it can’t be done in 90 days, no need to fret at all. Just don’t let us give up until it’s done!

  7. Anything that is free is bound to be misused so at least charge a dollar or so.They should also say its only basic healthcare they’ll be offering thats why we’ve always seen our politicians don’t even trust zambian healthcare so they go to SA for advanced treatment.This PF govt need to quit with their 90days lies.Japan,South korea or UAE didn’t get the progress they have in 90 days.It took them years.

  8. Study different systems first, in Taiwan, U.K., Canada, France, Australia, Switzerland, Sweden, Germany, Japan, etc. and find one that will best fit Zambia. Next, tax the mines, maybe certain other business sectors to pay for the system. Last, don’t adopt the American system! The outcomes are worse compared to all the rest of the developed nations, the percentage of the GDP spent on health care is much, much higher, and administrative costs are double compared to other countries. Wait times and quality of care are NOT better when compared to certain other nations, such as Switzerland. There is very little good that can come of the American system, and much bad (also, it’s very complex and has the highest average amount of time spent on paperwork and appealing denied claims).

  9. #8 Enka Rasha

    The word “free” here is obviusly used in the context of basic universal health care which is public sponsored and government regulated. People can still purchase supplemental insurance for advanced treatment as you call it.

    By the way, the world’s oldest universal health care system was introduced here in Germany by Otto von Bismarck as far as 1883. It was a mandatory health insurance, which originally applied only to low-income workers and certain government employees, but has gradually expanded to cover the great majority of the population.

  10. I honestly don’t think that this is feasible. Money has to come from somewhere, doctors have to be paid and equipment has to be maintained. It cannot be done for free. Zambia does not have the capacity to sustain a welfare society, that time has come and gone and we should be looking at more realistic options for delivering quality health care to our people. This is not a viable option.

  11. The only good thing is he did not DONATE the equipment. FTJ would have donated it, civil servants never used to receive their pay, he donated it to them instead.

  12. I love the way you guys here(ok, some of you) debate and bring out your points, it really gives me alot of insight and knowledge on how to look at things. Knowledge is power.
    Thanks guys, keep up the good pointing out to lead the way for the future generation.
    Power to the people!

  13. “Tax the mines and other business sectors”……uh no. Those particular sectors are the economy’s growth sector. You don’t take them, you give them every reason to grow and re-invest whilst the business cycle allows it.

    Fundamentally Zambia should focus on making sure it gains as much investment as it can whilst the global economy allows, as uncertainty increases the world over..prudent economic stewardship could turn Zambia into an even bigger investment decision.

    I believe that until Zambia’s unemployment is below 30% and as long as a minority of people and companies are paying the bulk of the taxes, universal healthcare will be unfair as it would be subsidized by an over-taxed minority. What is needed is a push for more business creation, to level things out…

  14. One way of cutting down on the cost of providing medical services to the majority of citizens is to stop the rampant medical tourism to south Africa and other countries by those in power and the well connected. Its a huge and unnecessary cost to the country and only goes to provide jobs to the South Africans.
    47 years of independence, we must be able to provide treatment and do most of the procedures these people go for to these countries.
    How was it done under KK and UNIP?
    KK NEVER had his medical reviews anywhere else other than UTH

  15. I cant believe people who think free medical care cant be done. my gosh during the kk era i went to school for free and i got free medical services and the country was doing just fine. the money is there folks dont fool yourself and like anything else there will be abuse but tell me any services that do not have some abuse.

  16. this is good news which every Zambian should support the PF’s initiative. if there’s money to take politicians to South Africa for treatment, then there’s money to treat everyone free in Zambia.

  17. its a blessing to our nation that PF is in charge, where are all the project mmd claimed to have implemented just before the elections ?

  18. Some more ideas they can employ:

    1. Computerised system for all patients clinical records, lab results , X rays etc, 2. Higher more paramedical stuff to take some of the labour off doctors, eg phlebotomists, diabetic educators, physiotherapists etc, 3. Enhanced and computerised lab support with results within 2 hours. 4. enhanced communications within all hospitals ( local intranets, pagers, telephone exchange systems etc 4. Reduce hours oncall to less than 15/ day, those guys are being overworked at moment and it doesnt facilitate their efficiency. 5. Have a more regulated system to ensure everyone is pulling their weight . Zambian docs too intelligent but not being utilized to full potential.

  19. Of course, let us make health services at every level free! After all most of it is through donor funding and they will still be there even when there economies are receding! Hahaha…dream on!

  20. Please PF, make a National budget first & then a 3, 5 & 10 year plans. These will show us if this is practical with the limited Tax base. The expenditure being advocated for here can’t be supported due to numerous commitments that GRZ has (eg. K4T on roads, civil servants arrears, pensions etc…)

  21. Donors may have a say on that. Dont they fund a big chunk of our health bill?

    In the UK we go see a doctyor for free but you buy the medicine the doc prescribes. So we do pay somewhere for something.

  22. It sounds really good but we have to bare in mind that quality healthcare is very expensive and giving it for free will definately reduce the quality of care and will take us backwards in quality of care we will receive.But as usual we Zambians have no pride and are very much looking forward to free healthcare even when we know that we are in the current mess because of liking free things.Doctors and nurses need good conditions of service for them to be retained. It puzzles me when most Zambians get sleepless nights when their cars are not insured or are due for service but they don’t get so bother about their own health and insist it should be free.What a gamble on ther lives.A car is more important than their own lives!!!!

  23. :)>-That will be great to have good healthy services but not free, they should meet international standards like airports, and that leaders of the country should set an example by using such facilities than travelling abroad, then it will be a breakthru!

  24. us zambian all we can do is to thank Jehavah God and keep initiating his exellency sata! to give more free things becouse we have money.now our owne money talks!

  25. Forget the 90 days, just get to work! You have 5 years to make changes and don’t waste resources in doing a poor quality job. Free healthcare will mean the government has enough money to offer free services to citizens. And if it is the case, then let them first create jobs so that the same citizens can pay income tax which should be channelled towards free medical care. It may not be free at all (someone is paying tax!!!!!)

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