The government has announced that it has procured enough essential medicines for health facilities to address the shortage of drugs that hit some health facilities.
Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Technical Service Lackson Kasonka said that medicines will be supplied to medical facilities next week.
Professor Kasonka told ZNBC News that Government remains focused to ensure that all medical facilities are fully stocked with essential drugs.
He further warned staff in Government medical facilities against pilfering drugs because such behaviour will attract stiff punishment.
Professor Kasonka added that Government has put measures aimed at curbing drug pilferage in hostels and Clinics.
Meanwhile, Peter Phiri, who is immediate past MMD deputy spokesperson, has said that people making negative comments on the shortage of drugs in public health facilities are being hypocritical.
In a statement, Mr Phiri said that drug shortages in hospitals and health posts are historical in Zambia and as such, should not be politicised.
“Let all those who are negatively making comments on what is happening at the ministry of health ceasefire. The issue of drug shortages are historical here in Zambia. For people to start pretending that shortages of drugs in the country’s hospitals and health posts is not only hypocritical but very cheap politics. The shortage of drugs should not be politicised,” said Phiri. “We have seen people being given medicine slips to get medicines at the hospital dispensaries only to be referred to chemists owned by the same cartels. And at times the same drugs are labeled not for sale or GRZ. This issue of referring people from hospitals to private chemists and pharmacies is well known and some health workers have been caught taking medicines to private chemists,” he said
He pointed out that there is a cartel in the procurement and supply of medicines in public health facilities.
Phiri said that there is need to curtail the cartel in the drug supply chain.
“There’s a very big cartel in the procurement and supply of medicines. The government has been procuring quite alright, but there’s an invincible hand, which is reselling drugs using government resources and that powerful syndicate went to an extent of bringing in expired drugs in the country. And now to start accusing the government, not only the current government, we are not being fair to ourselves,” Phiri stated. “Drug syndicate is not easy to break. Drug business all over the world is very big and in some cases people die because of drug syndicates. What we should be doing as a country right now is to curtail the cartel in the health system. We should not politicise this but try to help stop the syndicate.”
And Phiri stressed that the issue of the importation of expired drugs should not die a natural death.
“And the issue of expired drugs that were brought in the country should not die a natural death. This issue is slowly dying a natural death. The problem we have in Zambia is that we easily forget,” Phiri added.
So, pipo should die quietly….relatives of dead to praise Barry. Iwe ka Phiri, a u looking for a job….
Peter Phiri you are a f00l. Kasonka, a professional is saying the new doom government has secured enough drugs to end the shortages and you are saying it’s hypocritical for someone to say there are no drugs.
Peter phiri, you don’t get a job by supporting blindly. Oh I understand now that people who are getting jobs in new doom government have to join in telling lies.
So far pharmacies, clinics and hospitals have nothing to show for these promises. The New Dawn government is rapidly turning into the Government Of Empty Promises. With HH being called an Empty President.
How do Zambian ans politisize drug shortages when Hon. Masebo has been the one at the helm of these politics. She ostracised the board and cancelled all pending drugs sourcing programmes thereby complicating the already queer situation.
Any well meaning Zambian, unlike this Phiri, must know wellness is what drugs availability stands for.
It’s Government duty to provide these services without gaps. When hospitals have drugs Government should not expect praises from the citizens….this what they were elected for. And when the services are shoddy criticism will be there…. it’s not being negative it’s because someone has not done their job.
Essential medicines ??? That really doesnt tell us much Infact it could mean just a couple of types
ALSO IF THE PILFERAGE ISNT STOPPED YOU GOING NOWHERE
MoH hasn’t run any tenders for the procurement of medicines so how has Kasonka procured the medicine he’s talking about? Is he now the buyer since Masebo has rendered the whole procurement department useless? Does Kasonka expect us to be excited about his vague announcement? ZPPA must move in and audit him for compliance to the ZPPA Act. Who has supplied those drugs? These are the early signs of failure, if we don’t queation them now we’ll soon regret. Bally promised us orderliness in the conduct of Govt business but this doesn’t look like it. As for Kasonka, I advise him to leave politics to Masebo. He has already made several statements that aren’t professional since he was appointed. This isn’t good at all
The only problem with lies is that you have to keep on telling lies in order to maintain the original lie…..some moron toured some warehouse last week wearing a white dust coat with a safety helmet and did a photo op with pallets saying drugs were available and this moron is now saying drugs will be available next week….like seriously….UPND has now become a government of lies led by demagogue President HH
HH thought running a country is kids play…now Lungu looks like a genius….look at the infrastructure now UPND doesn’t even know where to get medication
Atishani bane
I thought this govt was on record to state that there was no shortage…guys you need to up your PR game!
There have been drug shortages in Zambia historically, that is a fact. The UPND government inherited this situation, they inherited a certain shortage level, which further declined, after canceling pending drugs sourcing programs, in an effort to REDUCE procurement costs and REDUCE corruption. That is a fact.
Its government’s duty to ensure the supplies, which they are doing now. But it is hypocritical for those who belong to a party that was in power for 10 years, to be in the forefront of blaming the current GRZ. What are they blaming them for? Fo rgoing below the pathetic drug level that they left after 10 years? The problem is that the former government WANTS people to forget their 10 years of incompetence within 8months, hence the frustration.
Saulosi – Please stop right there..do not try to comfort yourself LAZY LUNGU can never look like a genius the man was too incompetent and corrupt to even use that word wher his name is appearing.
This government can see that Zambians don’t monitor it so it can get away with heavy lies. It’s the same Kasonka who in February told us there was no shortage of drugs and that those saying so were peddling lies.
Kasonka, stated that there are no shortages of medicine in public hospitals so why is he now saying govt will end the shortage?
So, shortages in drugs created by PF regime must be blamed on UPND. Drugs is not like milk or bread to be bought every 2 days also. Drugs have its life span ranging from 7 days to 6 months, 1 year and sometimes 1 year plus. Shortages experienced now were created more than 6 months ago when PF regime was in power. Drugs have now been procured in the right manner, verified correct and enough to end the shortage created by the last regime.
Its unfortunate some Zambians are focused on causing unnecessary alarming statements with out looking back to its causes.
Even Milk and bread have a lifespan. Dont you see the expiry dates on their packaging?