A group of donors supporting Zambia’s health sector has warned that the current global political climate does not guarantee the continuation of their support to Zambia.
The cooperating partners say ongoing funding levels should not be expected in the current global political climate.
Businessman Donald Trump who was last Friday inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States signalled intentions to prioritise American interests which many fear might result in aid cuts.
In the UK, the Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that Parliament must vote on whether the government can start the Brexit process.
The judgement means Theresa May’ Conservative Government cannot begin talks with the EU until MPs and peers give their backing – although this is expected to happen in time for the government’s 31 March deadline.
British High Commissioner Fergus Cochrane-Dyet said strong leadership by the Zambian government that increases domestic investment in health and maintains the push for greater efficiency to achieve better value for money is required to consolidate gains in the health sector, and meet Zambia’s global health commitments.
Mr Cochrane-Dyet said an analysis of some of the inevitable challenges and risks encountered during the year will help us in our prioritization and planning for 2017 and beyond.
Mr Cochrane-Dyet was speaking on behalf of Cooperating Partners that are supporting Zambia’s health sector at the Health Sector Annual Consultative Meeting in Lusaka on Tuesday.
“The successes outlined above are even more remarkable when considered against the context of a change of government and the economic downturn in Zambia that adversely impacted all sectors, including the health sector,” he said.
“It is to be noted that partners are investing approximately the same budget envelope as the government of Zambia in the health sector. Ongoing parity in funding should however not be expected in the current global political climate.”
The cooperating partners also raised serious concerns over drug stock outs in Zamia in 2016.
“The patchy availability of drugs at health facilities remained matters of grave concern to partners in 2016. Zambians have the right to expect essential lifesaving medicines administered by skilled staff as a normal part of accessing health care,” Mr Cochrane-Dyet.
He said partners worked with the Ministry to direct programme savings and other resources to address gaps in essential medicines and supplies, particularly for malaria and HIV/AIDS.
“Partners however are troubled by the auditor general’s report confirming that the drug debt persisted through the year and by November 2016 was back at the 2015 level. Reports of expired drugs and leakage across Zambia’s borders compound existing issues. We are also unclear about the current procurement gaps for 2017 against national drugs, family planning and nutrition commodities forecasts,” he said.
Mr Cochrane-Dyet said procurement of medicines and medical supplies and the pharmaceutical supply chain is a major area of investment with approximately $175 million being invested across partners.
He said the Ministry led procurement and supply chain planning retreat in March 2017 will be critical to gain a common understanding of bottlenecks and establish a work plan and monitoring framework towards improved management of the health sector procurement and supply chain.
Who would like to continue to support a corrupt govt where politicians are rushed to India and RSA.
baba maningi ba kamwendo kadansa chakolwa lungu and his pamafi party colleagues.Ban kadansa and his ministers from traveling…
I pray that Trump’s and UK cut this funding. Zambian is a sovereign state when it comes to issues of good governance and so shall it be with foreign donor funding!
Anyone with foresight would have known that this would come at some point for where on earth would one keep looking up to someone else helping to keep their house in order? All along Zambia has presented a national budget that itemizes expected input from cooperating partners! Which country is truly committed to assisting another develop by pouring in its resources than spending on itself? The alarm on the clock has set off!
Thats fine so that we can be more serious with what we do.
True dat! Mwanya ba ndelombako wafwilisho olo nipempako thandizo, trump azavala kapunda, we told you we need a business minded leader pamupando, essau chulu eve ati potyopotyo.
mmmmmmm ati thats fine when 3quarters of the population is HIV positive??? lets sit back and think mwebantu, this is bad news bcoz we all knw that if the govt is to be spending all that money on HIV and malaria medicines, other sectors will suffer, health is expensive and very few countries in Africa can manage to be buying these medicines for its people esp ma ARV. if the situation is allowed we are soon going back to the late 90s and early 2000 where the mortualry will be full to capacity, people dying like ba inzi sprayed with doom…..this is not a childs laugh
Trump only wants to deal with business minded people.
No instead we will be like Nigeria where Private Clinics are doing fine. No Payment No drugs. HIV people will have their Doctors to attend to them in Private manner
In short all he’s saying is, learn to fend for yourselves!Grow some balls for once.Instead of those extended trips abroad which bear NO fruit,look into your countries interest first!
Just this morning, you posted an article that the UK and other donors have pledged continued support to the Zambian health sector…..a few hours later you are now posting this article that the support is under threat….what is this?????
It means learn to be independent. You can not beggars forever.
@Umwaume,
What sort of umwaume are you? You are happy and completely silent when there is rampant laziness in our Country, leading to perpetual begging from other Countries. But you have the nerve to make noise when the begging arrangement is threatened?? Bushe bulwele nangu ninshi?
What is a pledge? Its no guarantee
Cooperating partners? To tell the truth, fell-good terms like ‘partners’ are like sleeping tablets to Zambians, because they give a false sense of accomplishment and false respectable position. Partnerships entails that one is united or associated with another or others in a venture or a sphere of common interest, in a win-win manner. e.g. A member of a business partnership. This is now 2017, What does Zambia give?
As it stands now, whether we like it or not, WE ARE COOPERATING RECIPIENTS OF AID, year in year out. This inferior and degrading reality should annoy and embarrass every normal functioning Zambian. We cannot go on perpetually like this.
We must burn inside with desire to plan smartly, and work smartly and become proper partners who also GIVE, and not just receive and go to…
…. go to sleep.
The idea of Donald Trump’s Govt giving aid to mother Zambia is deeply disturbing. Makes me want to take a serious bath…
It is high time Zambia is waking up and does something on its own,not just begging and pocketing the money.Try and do something on your own nearly 52 years of so called independence.
53 years
In short what they are saying is we don’t like the way you are spending our money
It is well to say donors should cut their funding only for those that have never fallen sick, those who have never attended a funeral, those with resources to get treatment anywhere in the world, those that are not native to Zambia and maybe those that have an agreement with God that they will never fall sick and so shall their children. else, we should all be very very sad.
Blacks LOVE to Fulfil the Negative Stereotype of the Hungry White mans burden, with the outstretched begging hand.
MAYBE HAVING NUMBSKULL SUPREMACISTS LIKE TRUMP, MAY JUST SHAKE US OUT OF OUR PERMANENT BLACK STUPOR!!
Surely it’s not a secret, even the Village 1diot is aware in this age of information that if Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, & Angola put their houses in order, they would potentially be there the richest strip of land on Gods planet.
Unfortunately for the Black African, what counts is the insatiable urge to beg, whist squatting on top of a Gold mine. Other African traits are lu2t to Oppress, Plunder, Dance, get drunk, & have lots & lots of S3X, traits one sees in 90% of our leaders, the very leaders of load shedding failed States.
Cont;
moral of the story is if Chagwa stopped drinking, dancing, & needless touring, then paid back what he’s Stolen so far, & then made sure all his Corrupt officials / mates returned their Corrupt proceeds, including money paid to officials when Parliament was dissolved, then made the Mines Pay Zambia what she’s due, without accepting a Corrupt Kickback, WE WOULDN’T BE HAVING THIS SILLY DISCUSSION OF, “OH, THE WHITE MAN WILL CUT BACK OR EVEN STOP HIS HANDOUTS TO US HELPLESS POOR BLACKIES”
Shameful Indeed!! •
Where is sondash?? We may need him now.