By Dr Chitalu Chilufya
20 March 2023 — On Sunday morning, yesterday as I drove along Chikwa road, towards the Addis Ababa roundabout, my attention was drawn to the outer lane where a number of cars had parked, with desperate motorists and pedestrians surrounding a convulsing young man.
As a medical doctor compelled by the Hippocratic oath to save lives, l immediately parked by and joined the gallant citizens frantically trying to help the patient.
I was quickly identified as a doctor and given leeway to lead the roadside response.
A few minutes later, the patient stopped fitting and regained consciousness. He then told his story:” l am epileptic; however l haven’t taken medication for five days; l am walking home to John Laing, from levy Mwanawasa hospital where l went this morning, to seek care and medication; however l was just given a prescription to buy medicine; l don’t have any money; so l was walking home.”
I thanked the gallant citizens for the Ubuntu spirit they exhibited to aid a desperate citizen who would have otherwise been bashed while convulsing.
Yes l drove away with the patient a nearest drug store and the rest, as they, is history.
The following questions beg our honest answers as a collective: How many citizens are convulsing, injuring themselves or falling in fires and burning or dying? How many other chronic patients suffering from diabetes, hypertension, HIV/AIDS, etc, are suffering quietly or dying prematurely without getting the help from our hospitals.
For how long will the persistent drug shortages be ignored by Government; is life as sacred under this UPND regime which seems obsessed with political point-scoring?
The sanctity of life is inviolable under any circumstances and I therefore urge government to abandon their cruel state of denial and deal with drugs crisis immediately.
Zambia is indeed fitting; it is in a catatonic state and requires urgent remedial measures.
You’re the immediate past Minister of Health barely 16 months ago. If you left medicines in hospitals and a proper system of acquiring medicines that young man wouldn’t have been in that situation.
Sorry but you can’t point a finger at Dr Chitalu.The VP is on record as having told the nation that drugs are there in hospitals. She said people who’re saying there’s no medicines in hospitals are lying. She specifically mentioned LMUTH as having 80+% of drugs.This has nothing to do with the past government since we have been told by the VP herself that drugs are there
In short, the current government has done completely nothing from were Dr Chilufya left the situation? Its clear politicians are the same and they thrive by having moron supporters like you.
He is writing articles now …really laughable…they never put in place foundations it was just stealing with his Pakastani and Indian friends