Opposition new heritage party president Chishala Kateka has called for investigations to be instituted in the shortage of medicines in hospitals across the country.
Ms. Kateka told the local radio station QFM that investigations should be instituted to ascertain who exactly owns some of the pharmacies and chemists in Lusaka, Copperbelt, and the country at large.
She said this because it is strange how some doctors know exactly where certain medicines can be found when there is a shortage of drugs in hospitals.
Ms. Kateka feels that the shortage of medicines in hospitals is somehow artificial and created by those in the system, particularly in the health sector.
Meanwhile, Ms. Kateka has urged the government to quickly address the shortage of medicines in hospitals across the country.
Recently Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary in charge of technical services professor Lackson Kasonka acknowledged the shortage of medicines in health facilities, attributing this to the ongoing transition process in the ministry of health.
The best way to catch these guys is to ask them to produce invoices and delivery notes. If one can’t produce, you know what to do.
Madam, don’t blame Doctors for the shortage of medicines. Doctors have nothing to do with procurement of medicines.
The blame should be on hh and his dark government. These are the people who dented Dr. Chilufya and Edgar’ names for the shortages.
Hakainde created shortages on social media and yet there was a lot of medicines in hospitals. That seat is hot. Ateke @m@t@k0 p@nshi Hakainde.
@2 Henry
There have always been shortages of medicines. This is not a new problem. If anything, this is not a problem of any particular government – it is that we as Zambia do not procure enough drugs. That issue is only compounded by corrupt practices in the Procurement Department at the Ministry of Health.
While I find the explanation of the UPND government to be dubious, I am impressed that they even admitted it. No government has ever admitted a shortage of drugs, even while we knew that there were shortages of drugs.
One part I do agree with you on is with not blaming doctors (at least, not the regular ones at health institutions). It is true that some (not majority. Just a few) doctors and pharmacists have been forming chemists and pharmacies – but that comes as a response to…
…the shortage. They are not the ones causing the shortages.
Lastly, I will mention that doctors and pharmacists know exactly where to purchase because there haven’t been medicines for a long time. Over time, you get to know where someone can buy a specific product. You even get to know the cost, and where it is found the cheapest. As a doctor, it is literally your job! Why wouldn’t you know? If a doctor is buying a drug from a pharmacy, they’ll probably inquire about another type of drug which they regularly prescribe to their patients, because patients ask them how much it is.
Pharmaceutical companies also have a marketing team which goes around health institutions telling them about the products they have. It is illegal for these companies to pay doctors, and there are competing companies who offer this information.
This is correct infact NIMA should be a purely Fund manager It should be paying Government Drug procument agency It should not be paying chemist directly It’s Mandate should be to manage clients and their funds It was oversight to get involved in directly funding priscriptions to private hospitals and chemists
Teachers own private schools but are not blamed for shortage of chalk, engineers own construction companies but are being accused of the theft of building materials, etc. So why is it a crime for health professionals to own chemists? ZAMRA and similar entities regularly inspect the chemists so there are measures in place to keep such businesses in check.
Medicines ordered by the government should be stamped with grz logo.it may help to stop theft.
@Wellongton, maybe we first need to establish that the alleged theft actually occurs. This lie was started by Frederick Chiluba and it has surprisingly persisted.
My female president thinks better than Harry Kalaba.
If one is sick in the stomach, the do need to take eye drops.
Similarly, investigating pharmacies is a misjudgement. Thieves are in hospitals cwhich have controlling officers who must be alert at telling what medicines are coming in and going out.
How many years has the process been going on? I don’t think that any outpatient department patients ever get medicines from hospitals apart from drips for those on emergency treatment. Some clinicians carry medicines in their work coats and dispense to those they see as deserving.
What is obtaining in our public hospitals is shameful to say the least.
The next best President of Zambia should either be Miles Sampa or Edify Hamukale with Edith Nawakwi as very distant third option. Any pairing of Sampa and Hamukale can defeat any Living Zambian politician because their combination can make a formidable and real alternative in this country if we put all prejudice, stereotyping and subjective judgement aside. Think in terms of former or serving ministers, natural public affection, humility and ability to relate with the grassroot voters without hypocrisy, global exposure, cleanliness of service records, education, Broadness of working experience, age , uprightness of character, patriotic disposition and acceptability around Zambia amongst citizens .
All the other opposition party leaders like the Wynter Kabimbaz, Andford Banda,…
Ms. Kateka has raised a yellow card and is requesting that powers that be seriously delve into the matter of drug shortages. People must not rush into denials or defending what has been said as Kateka is just thinking aloud. I am sure many a patient do wonder how for example a medical doctor in Chilenje would give a prescription and volunteer information that the prescribed medicine is only available at some clandestine drug shop in Matero! This is suspicious! Let the just give the prescription and let the patient do the walking around and search it’s all about ethics!