Government says there are adequate stocks of essential drugs in all the health centres countrywide.
Meanwhile, government has warned health workers to stop pilfering essential drugs from health centres.
Defence Deputy Minister Christopher Mulenga says the perceived shortage of essential drugs in some government clinics is artificial.
Mr. Mulenga says the stealing of medicines by health workers in government clinics is the cause of the shortage.
Mr. Mulenga says government has put in place measures to deter civil servants from stealing drugs.
The Defence Deputy Minister says Medical stores in Lusaka are well stocked with vital medicines.
Mr. Mulenga said this in an interview with ZNBC soon after touring the Northern Military Command Hospital in Ndola.
He says government is sensitive to the aspiration of the general citizenry and as such, the health sector has been prioritized.
The Defence Deputy Minister has also disclosed that government will deploy more medical personnel to all military clinics countrywide.
Mr. Mulenga says the Ministry of Defence is discussing with the Ministry of Health on how best to streamline operations at Defence medical centres
Health workers in Zambia has always stolen “essential drugs” like Betnovate cream/ointment/lotion (betamethasone) which they sell illegally to people who bleach their skin!!
Now a new trend is on the way from S Africa, where ARV’s is crushed and mixed with dagga ( NYAOPE)
Ulolukanya!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can someone do a quick check if this is true that we have essential drugs now in clinics and hospitals country wise? I do not trust such blanket announcements.
I agree with you Don’tcare, the government like to announce stuff that seems great, then down the line, you discover it was all false to raise your faith in them. So many things were promised which now turned out to be just words. We Zambians never verify or double check information
1.Dr.Mulenga are you insinuating that Health workers are thieves such that they steal drugs to the point of causing country wide shortages?
2.What system are you using to ensure that drug availability is kept at least 80%?
3.Have you paid the pharmaceutical companies who are supplying drugs?