Health Minister of the Republic of Zambia, Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has said that opposition leaders whose sole agenda is to gain political capital out of every situation facing the nation should not be allowed to poison the minds of the public with political discourse which lacks prudence and dignity.
Dr Chilufya said that it remained governments inescapable duty to provide health services to the people of Zambia even in the wider sense of fiscal consolidation.
Dr Chilufya said that every Zambian needed to know that the nation would only prosper if its health campus was pointed the right way, adding that was to this effect that Republican President Edgar Lungu had pitched health as a Key economic investment.
“This is not a matter were you try to cash in on political capital and start celebrating austerity that all expenditure in the health sector must stop. We want to reassure the Zambian Public that even in the face of fiscal consolidation, health services will continue to be provided to the nation,”
” Drugs will continue to be bought. We will not be distracted by doomsayers and politicians hell bent on making political capital out of every situation,” he said.
He stated that health was bi partisan and called on all well meaning Zambians to treat with contempt any attempts by disgruntled opposition leaders to politicize issues of Health.
The Minister said this when he delivered an ambulance to Mungule Chiefdom in Katuba district yesterday afternoon.
And Chieftainess Mungule of the Lenje people of Katuba district in Central Province has marveled at speed with which Republican President Edgar Lungu responds to the needs of his people.
Speaking when Health Minister of the Republic of Zambia, Hon. Dr. Chitalu Chilufya delivered an ambulance to the health centre in her Chiefdom, the traditional leader revealed that it was just on Wednesday last week that she had made the request to the Head of State that he provides an ambulance to the health facility in her chiefdom, to make it easier for complicated cases which are referred to facilities like the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, to be transported.
She said the President had promised her that he would make the ambulance available and expressed delight at how quickly he had responded to her request.
And Chieftainess Mungule said she would not tolerate the ambulance being used for anything other than the intended purpose.
She said the ambulance was for carrying patients and not for personal use by the health workers and warned that stern action would be taken against anyone found misusing the ambulance.
The Chieftainess called on her subjects to cooperate fully with the government of President Lungu if development is to be a reality for Katuba district.
She said the time had come for Katuba to share equally in the national cake and said the ruling Patriotic Front was the only party which would deliver the much needed development to the area.
She said President Lungu had so far demonstrated that he is a leader whose agenda is to see development distributed equally to all parts of the nation.
She urged her subjects to give development a chance by choosing to work with the government of the day.
And Dr. Chitalu Chilufya said he was an envoy of the President who had sent him to deliver the ambulance to Chieftainess Mungule’s area.
He announced that the President had received with sadness the news that the health facilities in Katuba were inadequate to service the catchment population of 100,000.
He said the President’s agenda for Zambia to be a middle income nation by 2030 would only be realised with a healthy labour force and that was why he placed premium on adequate infrastructure for health.
He said the President had therefore instructed him to ensure that the Mungule Clinic was upgraded to a Mini Hospital which would adequately provide residents with health services across the continuum of care.
He said the President had an agenda for Universal Health Coverage in the nation which would leave no one behind, residents of Katuba included.
A by Election is scheduled in Katuba district following the death of the area MP.
A silly reactionary government which only wants to act when things go wrong. This is one thing that my swiss wife distates about most Zambians. What happendd to more money in your pockets? You guys my mixed race sons blonde girlfriend who is only 18 hit on me. What should I do ? I asked this question last night. I need your help. My wife is laughing because she thinks it has made me big headed. It is an ego booster
heeeesh this Katuba Constituency will be costly. PF kicked campaign just 2 days after burying Patricia Mwashigwele.
The last line of this story is the gist of all this action. Why Katuba now, you donate when an MP has died. That is selective development , unbudgeted for which is causing the Government to waste Money. This is pure campaigning. It is as simple as that
This is only welcome and acceptable if money in this sector is prudently used and not politicised.
What money when they have stolen everything …do you know much that ambulance in the picture is valued for …its not even a Mercedes (from the sign on the steering wheel in the photo)as they claimed even that doesn’t cost $288,000 each.
This is so stupid.
Zambia is doomed by stupid politicians like these. Donating a vehicle just because there are bye elections is the highest form of mind corruption. These locals are poor citizens of our country and for educated stupid politicians to go out there snd lie in the face of these people and smile shows how uncaring they are. If they really intended to help change things , why dont we see all these donations everywhere in zambia? Why just luanshya , mansa and now katuba incidentally all of the 3 places had bye elections ?
We enemies of our own world? These are politics of the berry. Capitalizing on unfortunate relatives of
ours and lying to them in their faces . How do you even sleep at night ? Do these guys have any grain of conscience?
How is it donating when these overpriced vehicles were bought with taxpayers money after stealing the mark-up!!
Even in the face of austerity measures, high profile and PF sponsored CORRUPTION, MONEY LAUNDERING, MISAPPROPIATION, BRIBING the electorate in Katuba, MISAPPLICATION OF FUNDS and DRINKING ALCOHOL have to continue-Enemy of the State said during the Cabinet meeting held at Baghdad division headquarter
Foreign Trips to woo foreign investment:
Zambian President: 52 Tanzanian: 4 [same period]
Funeral Tourism to Congo Kinshasa
Zambian contingency: Over 52 Rwanda: Less 10 [same funeral invitation]
These are the ambulances costing $288,000 one when you can buy one brand new in Germany for $50,000…no wonder this country is broke with mosquitoes like Chilufya there stealing at every opportunity he can get.
It’s this type of foolish politics that Zambians need to be distancing themselves from. Does this chief not understand that every district, village and city in Zambia deserves an ambulance? ” she said president Lungu had so far demonstrated that he is a leader whose agenda is to see development distributed equally to all parts of the nation.” Is this woman up to date with the poverty that there is in most pats of the country or is she only bothered about her little corner of the country? Lungu is being praised as if he has personally donated the ambulance… no, it’s tax payers’ money and just as he has a personal jet, government has a duty to provide ambulances and proper health services for the people. Don’t vote for individuals just because they have bribed you with an ambulance,…
Interesting ; At least something is given to the people. but where was this Ambulance parked all this time.. ?
Lets talk Entry Visas To Zambia.
I hear now its done online bad its costing K1,700…… so expensive.. and am told it takes about 4 to 8weeks for an Applicant to get visa.
This sounds very crazy indeed.. The country will loss huge sums of revenue and those wising to visit Zambia will just give it a bye…
Why are you talking about Visa Entry to Zambia and Ambulance donations in the selfsame post? Have ever applied for a Visa to UK it costs £1200 +
Our opposition parties and their blind followers shall complain about everything done by this Govnt which they do not accept,hence the only solution is to ignore them 100% and simply do the right thing-i.e;developing mother Zambia.Katuba or Kabangwe area has mansions now but the roads are pathetic because of voting for useless UPND MPs who cannot work with this PF Govnt.Our friends in Chalala,Salama park,Chelstone,etc have new tarred roads because of having hard working PF MPs.Thus,it is high time Katuba residents voted for development like Chieftainess Mungule has rightly observed.All constituencies led by UPND MPs are under developed because HH do not allow his MPs to seek development from Govnt.I live in Kabangwe (Katuba) now and we must give this seat to PF for our area to…
the who northern province has PF MPs do they all have tarred roads
the whole northern province i meant
Which health services are you delivering when there’s no medicine in the clinics? Women are now delivering in their homes because they can’t afford delivery kits that include Jik. And when they go for post natal care they’re being charged K500 penalty fee. If somebody delivered in her home because she didn’t have money for Jik and bucket can she afford to pay K500? This Minister is a f00l.
If it is Govt. responsibility to deliver health services, anyway, why would a whole minister be blowing the presentation of one ambulance to a chiefdom out of all proportion? Would it, in anycase, have happened if a bye-election was not due there soon?
And what is all this with ”ECL promising to deliver the ambulance… and there being ‘surprise’ at how he responded quickly”? How pathetic. Is it from his own pocket? Are there no other officials in the ministry to queitly take ambulances to areas where they are needed? How about ferrying people with serious health needs in Katuba, to South Africa, while you are at it?