GOVERNMENT has urged its cooperating partners to stop funding the country’s health sector through non-governmental organisations (NGOs).
Ministry of Health permanent secretary David Chikamata says Government is concerned that 60 percent of funds committed by cooperating partners to the health sector go unaccounted for because they are channelled through NGOs.
Dr Chikamata said this at a sector advisory group meeting between the Ministry of Health and cooperating partners in Lusaka on Wednesday.
“May I take this opportunity to remind our cooperating partners about an outstanding question that remains unanswered by our cooperating partners for the past one year.
“You will recall that our draft national health accounts show that an estimated 60 percent of funds from cooperating partners are being funded to the health sector through NGOs and outside the system,” he said.
Dr Chikamata challenged cooperating partners to justify why they should continue funding the country’s health sector through NGOs when a lot of funds meant for health programmes have gone unaccounted for.
“In the interest of mutual accountability, I request that our cooperating partners provide information on how the various NGOs are receiving these funds and how they are contributing to service delivery as a gesture of mutual accountability,” he said.
And European Union (EU) head of delegation to Zambia Aad Biesebroek pledged the EU’s continued financial and technical assistance to government programmes for improving the health sector in Zambia.
“We have noted with concern that maternal deaths have remained high and we have to work with the Zambian government to ensure that we reduce the mortality rates,” he said.
Mr Biesebroek also urged the government to continue implementing interventions to control malaria.
He said malaria still remains a major public health concern for Zambia.
And Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health Emerine Kabanshi says Government is ready and open to dialogue with NGOs regarding contentious issues in the NGO Act.
Ms Kabanshi said in an interview in Lusaka yesterday that “big” civil society organisations are not being sincere when they say the entire act is unfavourable and Government is rigid to their concerns.
She said the Patriotic Front (PF) administration has not diverted from its manifesto, which includes reviewing the NGO Act of 2009 to promote transparency and accountability between the state and civil society.
“We are sticking to our word, NGOs are our partners in poverty alleviation and national development,” Ms Kabanshi said.
She explained that it is not the whole law that will be repealed but certain clauses regarded as contentious by NGOs.
Ms Kabanshi said the NGO Act is aimed at assisting Government to be aware of the activities the NGOs are undertaking to ensure development is not concentrated in the same areas.
She said so far, 300 NGOs have successfully registered and their documentation is being processed.
Ms Kabanshi said civil societies that have registered under the Patents and Companies Registration Agency (PACRA) or Ministry of Home Affairs are still required to register with the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health.
And Transparency International Zambia (TIZ) president Lee Habasonda says civil society organisations (CSOs) are willing to dialogue with Government without the condition for them to ‘register first then discuss’.
Mr Habasonda told a media briefing on Wednesday that Ms Kabanshi should convene an urgent stakeholders meeting without ‘conditionalities’.
He was in the company of Foundation for Democratic Process (FODEP) executive director McDonald Chipenzi, who said the NGO Act is a bad law.
Good question indeed.
Maybe when this PF Government can account for public money properly, eliminate unbudgeted spending, fire the USELESS Ministers in the bloated cabinet, get levels of debt under proper financial contol, and reverse Satas three salary increases, NGOs may consider it.
Until then, giving this government money is just the same as throwing it down a hole! They know they will never see anything productive come from it, just more by-elections!
NGOs pay better salaries, and workers build houses and drive huge vehicles.
Donor money is good for economy.
The donors simply do not trust the government, thats why they would rather deal with NGOs directly. ITs once beaten twice shy phenomena.
You are right, if there is any institution in Zambia stealing from the people, it’s the government. How can donors intrust cadres with their money? See how fast the kwacha is going down? Still day dreaming and playing kwachamenya, no clue about even simple civics, what more about economic?
“You will recall that our draft national health accounts show that an estimated 60 percent of funds from cooperating partners are being funded to the health sector through NGOs and outside the system,”
R U not ashamed? 50 years after independence you are still unable to provide basic medical care for your fellow Zambians?
Government officers still biliions of kwacha when given the money. Remember Dr Mitis group? Donors are not sleepy. NGOs spend most of their money on the intended prupose with just a little of it enriching one or two people. But for government it is 60-70 percent of money spent on govt offiecers instead of funding programmes. The PF is just broke and wants that money to be diverted to fund its bloated govt.
You don’t think the NGOs learnt a lesson from the Kapoko case which is very fresh in our minds. The clowns have the memory of a snail. The government is presently known for mismanagement of donor funds and have a chaotic fiscal displine. And you want the NGOs to continue pouring monies into a bottomless pit – or fund your private projects. Nothing between the ears this bloody mambalas, do they ever look at themselves in the mirror????
stupid PS indeed
WE SHOULD NOT BE SWEPT AWAY IN CRITICIZING EVERYTHING. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM WHICH HAS DOGGED ALL PREVIOUS GOVERNMENTS AND WILL DOG NEXT GOVERNMENTS IF IT IS NOT DEALT WITH PROPERLY.
THOSE WHO CAN SPEAK FROM WHAT IS THE REUTH KNOW THAT THERE IS A LOT OF FINANCIAL ABUSE BY SIPOME NGOs WHICH I CANNOT MENTION HERE.
THERE ARE SOME BIG NGOs FROM POWERFUL NATIONS WHO REALLY ABUSE QUALIFIED ZAMBIANS BY PAYING THEM PEANUTS BUT A PERSON FROM THEIR COUNTRY WHO IS UNQUALIFIED GETS MULTI MILLIONS PLUS VERY HEFTY ALLOWANCES. THESE EXPATRIATES SPEND MOT OF THEIR TIME HERE SIGHT SEEING AND LEAVE THE DONKEY WORK TO THE EDUCATED ZAMBIANS.
THEY HAVE HEFTY BUDGETS FOR SALARIES AND STAFF WELFARE BUT REFUSE TO PAY RHE ZAMBIANS AND THE END OF THE YEAR THERE ARE HUGE BALANCES LEFT OVER BUT…
Shut up. NGOs can manage their own accounts and they are accountable to their own donors, sponsors or funding sources. This is purely a means of getting to see the accounts of entities that are independent so that more theft and squandering can occur, and an excuse for this new rubbish law.