The UPND has called on Health Professionals Council of Zambia (HPCZ) and the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to institute investigations Honeybee Pharmaceuticals and Honeybee Pharmacy saga and subsequently suspend the licences of the two sister entities for professional misconduct.
In a separate letters addressed to the two institutions, UPND Deputy Secretary General for Politics, Patrick Mucheleka argues that the indictment on the health of Zambian citizens that has been caused by the supply of sub-standard condoms, surgical gloves and other medical supplies cannot be ignored.
He warns that failure by the HPCZ to take punitive measures against Honeybee would lead to the party to wage a legal battle against the health standards monitor.
“We note with seriousness indictment on the health of citizens the aforesaid act may have, and hereby demand for the cancellation of the licence for Honeybee Pharmaceuticals and Honeybee Pharmacy because it is our considered view that a trained pharmacist ought to check and verify the medicine before supplying it to the institutions for public consumption,” read the letter in part.
And in another letter to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Mr Mucheleka has called on the investigative wing to carry out thorough investigations of entities and individuals involved in the supply chain of the drugs in question.
“We note with concern the serious indictment this may have on the right to life and health of citizens, and hereby report the following institutions and persons for investigations: 1. Hon. Chitalu Chilufya-Minister of Health; 2. Permanent Secretary-Administration, Ministry of Health; 3. Board Chairman, Zambia Medicine Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA); and Board Chairperson, Medical Stores Board. In our view, the conduct by the aforementioned persons is contrary to Section 34 (2)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act No. 3 of 2012,” the letter further reads.
The Honeybee saga, involves the authorization of the supply of sub-standard latex condoms and defective surgical gloves for distribution by the then Minister of Health, Dr Chitalu Chilufya, who has since been fired over the scandal.
And different schools of thought including the academia, the legal fraternity and the general populous, feel that this might lead to the mass murder of unsuspecting citizens who have utilized the items and have since called for stern action against those involved in what can rightly be termed as the medical “saga” of the decade in Zambia.
Anybody can supply substandard products, it’s up to medical stores and ZAMRA to verify their safety and take action as mandated by the Law. So ZAMRA, ZABS and MSL must be held accountable for not doing what they’re mandated to do.
When was this fellow released from bilo?
Some toothless organizations just a waste of tax payers money. Just imagine we have so many regulatory bodies in the health sector but are hesitant to act. Where is ZAMRA, ZABS, HPCZ, Pharmaceutical Association, etc, all these must be active now since the minister of MoH was removed
its not honey bee licence only that needs to be suspended, it is the authority that gave the licence to honey bee that require suspension as well
Defraud is defined as to use illegal means or deception to trick someone, usually to obtain money.
These guys wanted to defraud the country by supplying defective medical stuff and some pf cadre will come here and say they have not been paid for the same defective supplies, they thought they will get away with it by tricking zambians, BUT WE ARE WOKE. when some tries to defraud you its a crime.
An investigation is yet to be concluded and yet upnd see it fit for people to be prosecuted and arbitrarily arrested before then. This shows you how dictatorial these f00ls are. Voting for upnd is voting for dictatorship. Just look at how many times their dictatorial leader has stood as president and continues to refuse to give someone else a chance
looks lke he was singing here
May you be informed that, Pharmanova who was a competitor in the same tender, who won a paltry $1million contract from the same, who have not supplied to the contract in 14 months, who had their contract cancelled due to non-delivery, who have now reversed the cancellation during this HoneyBee saga, is owned by the very same $42million fire-engine crooks. Connect the dots
When ZAMRA informed Honeybee about the failed paracetamol tests in a certain batch, honeybee immediately recalled the entire consignment, and replaced it within a month. ZABS did not inform honeybee about their tests on gloves and condoms, as did ZAMRA. Which batches were tested? Was it even a batch from the honeybee consignment? And why did independent tests in India and another in S.Africa find the gloves and condoms fit for use?
When ZAMRA informed Honeybee about the failed paracetamol tests in a certain batch, honeybee immediately recalled the entire consignment, and replaced it within a month. ZABS did not inform honeybee about their tests on gloves and condoms, as did ZAMRA. Which batches were tested? Was it even a batch from the honeybee consignment? And why did independent tests in India and another in S.Africa find the gloves and condoms fit for use?
In a country that functions by the rule of law, all these criminals would’ve arrested by now and banned from ever conducting this type of business in Zambia again. That Chilufya criminal would’ve been sent to prison for a hundred years. But then we’re talking about Zambia, where criminals who put the life of unsuspecting Zambians at risk, can get away with just a slap on the wrist. What a shame.