Minister of Health Joseph Kasonde has observed that the 2013 budget that was presented last Friday is a fulfilment of the Patriotic Front (PF) government’s commitment to increasing funding to the health sector.
Dr. Kasonde stated that the PF made its purpose of increasing funding to the sector clear to the nation during campaigns for last year’s elections.
He told ZANIS in an interview yesterday that government, through the Ministry of Health, has already identified areas that need to be strengthened.
He said among the areas that need to be strengthened is drug supply which he said despite it being improved upon last year, there was still need to improve it further to ensure that the stock outs are eliminated.
Dr. Kasonde added that the capacity to handle HIV/AIDS patients needs to be reinforced while health workers in various categories also need to be trained.
And Dr. Kasonde has observed that the increase in next year’s budgetary allocation to the health sector will help immunisation programmes for children to successfully be conducted.
He added that the funds will also help the health sector to attend to emergency maternal health cases.
Minister of Finance Alexander Chikwanda on Friday, 11th October 2012, presented the 2013 budget to parliament in which he allocated K3.6 trillion to the health sector.
The allocation reflected an increase of K1.0 trillion or 40 per cent increase over the 2012 allocation.
ZANIS
Dr Kasonde, Increasing the so called funding to the health sector will only make sense when the most vulnerable people in Zambia see the drugs and get the treatment they deserve. Why are the sick still being transported on wheelbarrows and end up sleeping a those hospital floors? As long as the rich continue to be evacuated abroad for treatment because Zambian hospitals have become death beds no one will believe your story.
The boards in Zambia have so many unncessary contracts which do not yeild anything. Too much NICHEKELEKO now it includes ……….However, if we buy drugs, renovate hospitals, employ required number of staff, and take off corruption from your minds, then the country could change
Clean the country first, sanitation, clean drinking water and basic hygiene necessary, change the mentality of people, spend the money on the cause of diseases and not on drugs!
Reliable sources have really confirmed that
madam Luo is frustrated due to her
demotion that has led to her being in
charge of witch doctors, makishi/nyau &
denying her international trips because it is
almost impossible for her to go out for
tours or accompany the president.