A comprehensive forensic audit conducted by Price waterhouse Coopers (PwC) in the Ministry of Health, commissioned by President Hichilema last year, has exposed spine chilling and glaring irregularities in the procurement and management of drugs in the Ministry of Health. This has been a long-standing issue that unfortunately culminated into the US government withholding US$50 million in medical aid to the country.
The forensic audit has revealed massive price inflation in medicines and medical supplies procured by the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies (ZAMMSA) under the mop up exercise whereby some prices are inflated by as much as 1600%! For instance, Ibuprofen 200 mg tablets from Sterelin Medical and Diagnostics were being procured at K3,951.67. This represents an increase of over 1000% than the ZAMMSA’s estimated price of K230.67 for the same drugs! The report also implicates senior government officials, including alleged abuse of authority, rushed procurement and bypassing procumbent protocols.
The rot at Ministry of Health is not new. This is something that has been deep-rooted from as far back as the days of MMD. The people who are behind the pilferage of drugs or inflating prices are enemies of the people. They are heartless and ruthless murderers who don’t deserve to live amongst us…..they deserve to die by firing squad!
According to a statement released by State House chief communications specialist Clayson Hamasaka, “There shall be no sacred cows, anyone found wanting will face the full force of the law.”
The question is, will this satanic practice of stealing drugs or over inflating prices come to a screeching end when this has been the trend for as long as one may recall? Look at all those breathtaking mansions the suspected looters have acquired in Chalala and State lodge or indeed the impressive SUVs they change like underwear, the temptation can be quite irresistible!
We are therefore appealing to President Hichilema to compel Parliament to take a radical measure and make drug theft a treasonable offense! The Ministry of Justice must equally consider introducing Fast Track Courts to nip the scourge in the bud.
Whether we would like to believe it or not, the New Dawn Administration has scored a number of milestones in the Health sector since assuming government; funding has increased from K1.5 billion in 2021 to K4.9 billion projected for 2025, drug stocking levels have improved from 45% in 2021 to 85% current drug availability (90% projected in 2025) while human resource capacity has been bolstered by 40% since 2021!
Why should we allow a few selfish and greedy individuals keep painting the ugly picture, government is indeed lamentably failing to deliver in the health sector, by allowing them to continue corruptly enriching themselves by pocketing the very resources government is making available? Hit them hard where it pains the most!
Prince Bill M Kaping’a
Political/Social Analyst
It is not just the Ministry of Health; it is everywhere where things are crumbling under this government which we overwhelmingly voted for. I think we expected too much from a person and people who had not held public office before. Yes, these things could have started before this government came into office, but that is the reason we change governments to come and change and arrest such things, but this government is now in its fourth year and seriously struggling. Did it have to take a foreign government to intervene after 33 meetings for us to hear some serious conversations from our government about this issue.
This government is tired. No message anymore. Sticking to free education which people did not even vote for according to new research. They have failed to beat PF prices with 19 hour load shedding in place. Commissioning Chisamba solar plant with zero impact on the loadshedding, even for Chisamba itself.
Atlast people are seeing through the rheotic of this GRZ
This Theft has been there for decades my workers had nurses bring them antiibotics etc from hospitals and clinics despite warnings it didnt stop, Even chemists get these products
we keep hearing about corruption and theft by servant being threatened with prosecution by zero action
Personally I feel this GRZ is no different to the last one, this president has his own agenda which is investment he is not in control of his ministers and their departments all running blind
So the buck must stop at the top