Former Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has revealed that the infamous Honeybee Pharmacy expired drugs and defective condoms debacle was a scandal cooked up and peddled by a clique of throne seeking former ruling party politicians.
In an interview, yesterday with Ichalo Today news, the Patriotic Front member of the Central Committee revealed that there was “a battle of thrones” that raged in the former ruling party, and a particular clique went into a sustained and systematic campaign of mudslinging and falsified reports designed to eliminate perceived threats to the “throne”.
Dr Chilufya exposed the existence of a clique of politicians that worked in collusion with a cartel of strategically positioned senior civil servants and power-broking “tenderpreneurs” who engaged in lawfare by misusing the government and judicial systems to eliminate individuals they considered political threats.
Dr Chilufya said that this ploy included a conspiracy to peddle falsified reports about the Ministry of Health (MOH)under his tenure importing and distributing expired medicines and defective condoms.
The senior member of the PF Health Committee outlined a litany of achievements and significant milestones that had been achieved under his tenure as Minister of health. Dr Chilufya cited the giant strides Zambia had attained in achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He said this included the construction of more than 500 Health Centres across the country as well as and 6 new specialist hospitals, in addition to the construction of regional medical hubs that have significantly reduced the last mile and brought medical supplies closer to far-flung rural communities.
“In addition, to all this, we built the first-ever medical university in the country (Levy Mwanawasa Medical University) and we recruited more than 30,000 health workers. The culmination of all these efforts saw a very significant improvement in Zambia’s key health Indicators which among other things included a significant reduction in Maternal and Neo-natal Mortality”.
Dr. Chilufya noted that contrary to public perception, MOH never procured expired drugs or defective condoms from Honeybee Pharmacy.
“Honeybee pharmacy are not owed USD 17 million as infamously alleged, as they only supplied a third of the consignment. It should further be understood in the context that at the time this supply was delivered, the country was facing a drug stock out. It is also worth noting that to date, Honeybee has not been paid a single Ngwee.”
The Mansa Central lawmaker further highlighted stringent systems that are in place that prevent the importation and supply of substandard drugs and pharmaceuticals.
“Let me set the record straight. Pharmaceutical vigilance in Zambia’s Health Sector is highly alert and suitably configured to deter the procurement of medical supplies”. he said, adding that it was an insult to the medical profession to insinuate that we would procure expired drugs and defective condoms.
The medical doctor further emphasised that would go against medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath he swore “to cause no harm”.
He urged politicians across the political divide to “depoliticize Health Matters” and called upon President Hakainde Hichilema’s new Dawn Government to institute an objective investigation into the controversy surrounding Honey bee pharmacy’s alleged supply of defective condoms and expired drugs.
Data offloading
But zoona eeeh! People are crafty.
The government has its own assurance institutions. Dr Chitalu Chilufya is marking his own examination sheets here. It won’t do, as late LPM was fond of saying.
When people are in power, they are arrogant and inconsiderate of others.
When they lose power and are in danger of being locked up, they suddenly become the oppressed.
No sir. If indeed you are innocent, you have nothing to fear, nor do you need to go to the media. Your day in court is coming.
If what you are saying is true, then you should have had the courage to speak out when of was in power.
You were the best Health Minister ever,…… Aba bambi beshilepo….awe sure! Kuwayawaya fye
Seer One said to HH….. “you cannot win in Africa by being a good guy …..Tell some lies that will excite the people!”. The UPND then developed a lies strategy :
48 HOUSES belong to Lungu—-LIE
Chitalu bought expired drugs and leaking condoms- LIE
We shall bring back meal allowances- LIE
We shall reduce the price of FUEL-LIE
We shall reduce electricity tarriffs -LIE
We shall destroy all houses in forest 27-LIE
Kanganja is stealing- LIE
LIES LIES LIES……. We wait to see if Seer 1 will be there for you. Kabwata is coming
you played your part in developing the health sector——–Chiefs loved you for the rural health posts.
Maina Soko is now a state of the art hospital……Welldone ba Chitalu
I am baffled. Why were you quiet all this time sir?
Why did he not say this before new dawn
Government took over?
He wants to come out clean now.
You were in Power and never listened to our cries now you want our sympathy. Sorry Boss there is overwhelming evidence on your case, this time no one will block the witnesses stup1d Lungu did.
So it is also not true that you had a PS girlfriend same ministry ? Integrity issues…………
@KABWATA, nice lyrics about BMW, simply awesome.
Naye’ uyu avomela ati P.F ni Dununa “Clique” zo -ona!!
Weeks ago you were saying there’s NO Clique, just U.P.N.D tr1bal talk.
Kaya?
Moto Why did he not say this before new dawn Government took over? He wants to come out clean now.
The question now is It is almost four months with UPND in Government, they promised that the Nation will know the truth when they are voted in power. Why are they not giving the truth about Honeybee Pharmacy expired drugs, 48 HOUSES, Fire tender issue, Lungu is a thief, The nation need to know. When evil people shouted , it was wise for Chitalu to keep quiet and wait for the right time. Prove him wrong since your new dawn Government is in power. The song as started “HE IS A LIAR”
This man thinks we are foooools..we all watch the Parliamentary committee live broadcast that wasn’t cooked up!
These things were common in UNIP days — more lethal then because you just had to be named as a supporter of a banned party (usually UPP) kwasila apo wabeuka! I always thought PF was running the country along the lines of UNIP’s mediocre deterministic lines. Manje uyu Cilufya mugwileni aulule wenangu. Game of Thrones must come to a grand finale!!
Some comments are always negative. The doctor is reviewing what transpired but the know every thing upnd cadres are saying no. Shame .
Mwatiyamva – use your head you think if he was innocent he would have kept quiet when Lazy Lungu removed him…at the time when he was minister he said there was no irregularities in any contracts at MOH.
Chitalu Chilufya, Mundubile, Nickson Chilangwa, Mutotwe Kafwaya and other seemingly promising PF MPs;you people are a great disappointment to the progressive intelligentsia. With all your education and youthfulness, you decided to support the 3rd Term and corruption!! Ba Chitalu,if indeed what you are saying is true, we challenge you to sue those who provided evidence of leaking condoms and expired drugs!! As @16 Tarino has said, WE ALL SAW HOW YOUR PSs and DIRECTOR AT MEDICAL STORES THEN, FAILED TO DEFEND THEMSELVES BEFORE THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMITTEE BCOZ THEY LACKED TRUTH AGAINST THE EVIDENCE OF MISCHIEF THAT WAS PUT AGAINST THEM!! Your Ministry even awarded a tender to a company that did not have a record of sufficient experience in the trade of supplying large quantities of medical…
@Kalok …Totally agree that PF ran the nation’s affairs along the lines of UNIP.
You were indeed a true Menttee of the Late Dr.Kasonde who was the Minster of Health and you as his deputy.
Lazy the President who has left massive infrastuctuer development and call him him lazy.Ala tuletashako fimo ifisuma.Creation of new districts and brings services closer to the peaple is a result of laziness? Let’s be objective as we debate.
ROKA – how much has he paid back of the loans his Gov’t borrowed for that inflated infrastructure development..any moron can put such development if money is thrown at them