President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the church to work with the government in addressing various concerns in the health sector.
President Hichilema has acknowledged the church as a strategic partner of government in provisions of services to the people such as health.
He has further noted that the church also has facilities that are beneficiaries of drugs distributed by the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA).
Mr Hichilema has indicated that the government initiated a forensic audit on ZAMMSA whose results have since been released, and have called on the Church to provide any information they may have on the matter.
The Head of State said this when a delegation from the Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) as well as church mother bodies paid a courtesy call on him at State House, in Lusaka.
“You are aware of the work going on to clean up ZAMMSA. We want to work together in cleaning up what we call the cancer in the health sector,” the President stressed.
He, however, reiterated government’s commitment to improving access to quality healthcare, disclosing an increase in drug availability since his administration assumed office from about 40 percent to 85.
The President also called on the Church to partner with the government on its agenda of manufacturing medicines and vaccines locally in order for the country to achieve health sovereignty in the wake of aid cuts.
President Hichilema emphasised the importance of deepening the relationship between the government and the church in closing gaps created by foreign aid reduction.
“We need to deepen our partnership now, more than ever, given the geopolitical changes, the reduction in philanthropic support. None of our citizens must be left vulnerable because of this decision,” the President stressed.
He further thanked CHAZ for supplementing government’s efforts in the health sector by providing machinery and other support.
Speaking earlier, Representative Churches Forum Chairperson, Evans Chinyemba, thanked the government for supporting health facilities operated by the church in the country.
He disclosed that the Churches Health Association of Zambia operates under a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Health, under which, the government provides mission hospitals with operational grants, medical supplies and human resource, among other forms of support.
“The timely release of operational grants has resulted in timely payment of employees’ salaries in these facilities. The recruitment of 30, 000 health workers also benefited mission health facilities,” Bishop Chinyemba said.
The Bishop also commended President Hichilema for directing that all health facilities should have water and maternity annexes, noting that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) is helping with the realisation of the directive.