Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde has called on health workers in the country to realign themselves to the new Patriotic Front government’s health policy.
Dr. Kasonde said government will not watch medical personnel frustrating government’s efforts by ignoring the implementation of the new health policy.
He stated health workers can contribute meaningfully to the development of the country if they provide competent health services to Zambian citizens.
The minister was speaking in Lusaka yesterday at the official launch of the National Health Care Standards (NHCS) initiated by the Health Professional Council of Zambia (HPCZ) and funded by the European Union (EU) and other cooperating partners.
Dr. Kasonde assured the Health Professional Council of Zambia that government will fully support the implementation of the health care standards in all health institutions in the country.
He also said government will give full autonomy to the Health Professional Council of Zambia so that it can carry out its mandate professionally and independently thereby contributing to the improvement of health care delivery in the country.
And Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Peter Mwaba, who is also Health Professional Council of Zambia (HPCZ) chairperson, disclosed that a total of K1.2 billion was spent towards the development of the standards.
He also said his ministry will further spend a total of K1 billion each year to evaluate the performance of the newly launched health standards.
Earlier, European Union (EU) Representative Daniel Dominguez said the development of the health care standards is important as it will strengthen the capacity of the council to carry out its regulatory function of ensuring that all private and public health facilities provide quality health services.
Mr. Dominguez said the standards will also help the health care services users to know and understand what is to be expected and demanded in the health care delivery.
ZANIS
So 100% was just a fairytail????????????????
WHERE ARE THE HEALTH POLICIES OF PF GOVERNMENT? IT IS ONLY SATA WHO DICTATES WHAT MUST BE DONE?
What exactly is the policy and do you expect people to be happy to implement whatever those policies are after being told they will get a 100% increment by the labour minister and then being told that they wont a few days later by the defence minister?
Okey, Kasonde is just blabbing to keep in Satas good books.
As for standards, I really hope the standards costing 1.2 billion say something about health workers getting a decent wage. Regardless of how much setting up these standards costs, they are useless without establishing a motivating environment with wages comparable to those in the region. Zambian health workers have next to lowest standards of service and someone should show solid “standards” before expecting similar in return.
my concern is that every new gvt comes in with new paper work, Iam sure 80% of that 1.2 billion mwaba is talking about went to seminars/workshops and allowances and so will the annual billions going into the so called evaluations meanwhile what obtains on the ground, the hospital ward, the clinic where the patients ares never improves. For me it is not even about salaries but a motivating work environment, for a nurse, having enough linnen to change asoiled patient, thermometers, BP machines, protective equipment, such as gloves, soap, gowns,for a lab technologist, having resources to carry out simple diagnostic tests, for a PT therapist to have eqiupment for their job, and indeed for Drs to be able to diagnose and provide treatment, we are so behind in terms of good medical services!!
K1.2 billion was spent towards seating allowance and sub.. Uuuuh what standards and further k1 billion will be spent on evaluation of performance.wish EU knows where the money go,they will find other places to take there money. Shameful politicians using silly language to share money year in year out no physical/ tangible progress.
Just say another k 1.2 billion will be planted in one of the farms in lsk west. Shame shame shame
why should they understand something not in written..?atase..
The Permanet Secretary is also the head of Health Professions Council, what a blatant conflict of interest ……no one is complaining.
So in this case he is responsible for setting the standards and also for following them. And Dull Zambians are just ndwiii
‘Realignment’ seems to be the operative word when PF want to do anthing draconian.
Anyway, I am visiting Zed next month, will be happy if a few girls can ‘realign’ themselves for good BJs.
Absolutely rubbish, what health standards? Things on the ground are no where near what resembles normal health service delivery system. What has PF put on the table for health workers to follow? Are they going to run workshops to educate health workers on the same standards?
PF has just shot themselves in the foot, they are a bunch of liars and jokers, cheating workers about 100% increment, only to do a U-turn. Just wait for mass strikes, don’t take people for fools. Very inconsistent
Sounds like a confrontational step towards health proffesionals. They deal with real patients and on the ground realities not some policies written by someone who doesnt even understund what its like. You gotta leave politics out of healthcare, I see these guys have a long way to go.
Due to conflict of interest it’s is my humble appeal for dr mwaba relinquish his position as chairperson of the health professions council . Why hold so many roles as if Zambia is short staffed imagine in the uk the health secretary in Cameroon government also to be chairperson for HPC
What are those policies? I hope you dont mean that Health workers should read the PF manifesto of rebasing everything?
Imwe get your stories ant pictures right…that is Dr Katema in the picture……amateurs!!!
Hi there, I discovered your site by means of Google even as searching for a comparable topic, your site got here up, it seems to be good. I have bookmarked to my favourites|added to my bookmarks.
Normally I do not read article on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very pressured me to take a look at and do it! Your writing style has been amazed me. Thanks, quite nice article.