HH now takes on prisons medical doctor

Sun, 02 Jul 2017 10:43:48 +0000

BY CHIKUMBI KATEBE

INCARCERATED UPND president Hakainde Hichilema has complained about the manner in which a Zambia Police medical officer attached to the prisons, allegedly took over the handling of the opposition leader’s health issues in prison.

This is contained in a letter dated 28th June, 2017, and addressed to the Registrar of the Health Professional Council of Zambia, in which Mr Hichilema accused the Dr George Phiri of taking over the handling his health issues when he already had a private doctor.

He said Dr Phiri engaged in professional misconduct and unethical conduct by insisting to supervise Mr Hichilema’s health issues when there was a personal physician who was a consultant, a senior doctor in rank. He charged that in terms of professional rank, Dr Phiri was too junior to supervise a consultant, adding that “in any case, I do not know in what capacity Dr Phiri who is from Zambia Police is getting involved in my health matters when the matter is in court and I am in the custody of prisons authorities”.

Mr Hichilema appealed to the Health Professional Council disciplinary committee to discipline their member and that he was ready to attend the hearings to substantiate his allegations.

Mr Hichilema has further inquired on Dr Phiri’s knowledge of the opposition leader’s incarceration logistics when he allegedly alluded to him being in charge of (HH) his health at Chimbokaila and at such a time when the suspect would be taken to Mukobeko Maximum Prison. AND Zambia Correctional Services is investigating allegations of professional misconduct and unethical conduct against the doctor looking after the health issues of UPND president Hakainde Hichilema at Lusaka Correctional Facility.

Correctional Service head of public relations Margarete Nawa said she had not received the letter of complaint herself, but that she had seen the letter in circulation on social media.

She explained that as a commission, they would not give an official position on the matter until the conclusion of investigations into the matter.