Zambia’s Vice President, Mutale Nalumango, has sought to reassure the public that there is no shortage of drugs in the country, despite widespread concerns to the contrary. Speaking to reporters during an on-site visit to several health facilities in Lusaka, Nalumango explained that the issue lies not in the availability of drugs, but rather in the communication gap between health workers and patients. “There is no shortage of drugs in our health facilities,” Nalumango said. “The challenge is the communication gap between the health workers and the patients, which has sent a wrong picture to the public that the country has a shortage of drugs.”
To address this issue, Nalumango called on health authorities to work towards normalizing the communication gap and ensuring that patients receive clear explanations regarding the availability of medications. “It is important that we provide correct and clear explanations to our patients,” she said. “Transparency and open communication are essential, particularly in times of crisis.”
During her visit, Nalumango found that essential drugs are indeed available and being given to patients at the facilities she visited. The medical superintendent at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, John Musukwa, reported that the availability of drugs at the facility is currently at 93%. “All essential drugs are available and patients are being given the medicines,” Musukwa said. Similarly, the medical superintendent at Chipata Level One Hospital, Moses Mata, stated that the availability of essential drugs at the facility is over 75%. “All essential drugs at the health facility are available,” Mata said. “At the moment, the drug availability situation at the health facility stands at over 75% and that all patients are able to get the medicines they need.”
These reports are in line with statements made by Eastern Province health authorities in December of last year. At that time, the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) announced that it was procuring essential drugs to address shortages in the region. “ZAMMSA has made progress in procuring some commodities that are lacking in some health facilities,” Eastern Province Health Director, Mathews Ng’ambi, said. “Surgical supplies and medical drugs will be in stock within a few weeks as the procurement process has reached an advanced stage.”
In addition to ZAMMSA’s efforts, the government has also advised district health facilities to use 30% of their operational funds to procure any necessary drugs to supplement those supplied by ZAMMSA. “Our facilities are therefore advised by the government to use up to 30% of their operational funds in order to procure the drugs that they need when there is a gap,” Ng’ambi said. He reassured the public that the government has sufficient funds to purchase medical drugs for all health facilities in the region. “The government has enough funds to buy medical drugs for all health facilities,” he said.
Despite these assurances, Ng’ambi acknowledged that some smaller facilities may experience temporary shortages of certain drugs, particularly those used to treat non-communicable diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure. “Most of the time, isolated health facilities run out of drugs for non-communicable diseases like diabetes and BP medicines,” he said. However, he emphasized that these isolated incidents should not be taken as indicative of a broader problem. “The high consumption rate of some medical commodities has led to speculations of drug shortages despite the availability of certain medicines,” he said. “Some smaller facilities at times can run out of some drugs but they normally use their own funds to buy what they need or lack to cushion the shortage experienced.” Ng’ambi assured the public that the government is working to ensure that all health facilities have the necessary resources to provide quality
Continue arguing Madam Vice President better listen to the cries their are NO DRUGS IN HOSPITALS
This statement is kalo maseeting.The truth is that there on drugs in hospitals. The civil servants simply report to please thier bosses in line with the SMARTly formulated promisory lies!!! Better admit and people will respect you.
How can break down in communication between patient and hospital staff create a shortage in hospitals. Can someone simplify this for me?
Just like loadshedding the explanation is ambiguous.
Health workers have suddenly started failing to communicate with patients now.
Yes the patient says he wants penicillin but the nurse says I will give you tetracycline, but patient insists on penicillin so he goes without medicine= no drugs in hospital.
Ba Mayo bekalefye
We are now being forced to make love to our wlves in the dark, any yet their hh promised to end load shedding. This is unacceptable useless upnd incompetent government! Fuseke! There are shortages of plan b pills. If you have a side chick I would advise you to refrain live under upnd.
Governing is not as simple as ABC…now you’re sweating everyday trying to cover up your lies…..So who is stealing the medicine in Health facilities???
She must be on the same drugs.
Ba VP,
What do you mean ” communication gap between the health workers and the patients……” ? The patient comes to see the doctor, and doctor must prescribe the medicine that is available, the only thing the patient should do, is pick up the medicine. So, what other communication is required here ? Why should a patient insist on different medicine than prescribed by the doctor? Who prescribes the medicine to the patient, is the doctor or the nurse or the patient ?
We are the one that go in these hospitals so not matter what lies you tell we know the truth. We know what is happening in hospitals, we know the price of fuel, we know the price of mealie meal and we are being load shaded for 12 hours.
This government believes its own lies. As far as this government is concerned the price of fuel is at k5, mealie meal is at k50, fertilizer is at k250, there is no load shedding, hospitals have medicine.
It’s very simple to understand…she doesn’t care if there’s no medication in Hospitals because once she gets sick she Flys out to Europe or South Africa for treatment on tax payers money
In Bemba they say ” UWAWA TABULA KABEPESHO” A BAD CARPENTER ALWAYS BLAMES HIS/HER TOOLS
His tools not hertools. All carpenters are men. Stop including us in your shenanigans
Father comes home drunk and asks for nshima.
There’s no mealie meal says the wife
He: There’s plenty of it the shops
Wife: I am talking about home
He: There should be a gap between you and the shops I guess.
Wife: I am going to sleep.
the blaming game continues now blaming patient and hospital this is getting too serious when is our leaders going to start taking responsibilities
Drug shortage in hospitals is as a result of Upnd associating previous suppliers with the PF. Only to find that very few people are in this business. Same with fertilizer.
Bishop’s wife now arguing with the Majority Zambians.
Ain’t it this very woman who lies day in day out in parliament and continously gets defended by that Mutti lawyer punka.
On the floor ranting that prices of fuel and other commodities must rise in order to come down.
Lies lies lies. They can now lie with a straight face. No medicines in our hospitals. This is a fact. Double h will boast that he is saving on this one too. Trial and error Government.
Madam Vice President, you too like your boss will eat your words in the next week. You are being lied to. The experience of many people who go to State health facilities is the same. ‘Kulibe mankhwala. Yendani mukagule.’ I also experienced lack of laboratory reagents as well. I wish we had true investigative journalists who can go undercover and expose this perennial malaise in our country.
It is the PF losers who have been lying to the public that there are no drugs. The VP found loads and loads of drugs in the hospitals. The lies from those seeking political office and the 1.8m who voted PF have been extended to the false claims that there are no drugs. Drugs are there. The UPND media machinery should put up an offensive campaign to quench this PF fire of lies.