Health Minister warns quacks
By ADRIAN MWANZA
HEALTH Minister Sylvia Masebo has warned individuals, mostly foreigners from Congo Democratic Republic, masquerading as doctors in Northern and Luapula provinces of stern action for endangering the lives of people.
The two provinces has seen an influx of fake doctors which had raised alarm in the country.
Ms Masebo in an interview said the government would not sit and watch people dying at the hands of inexperienced and incompetent people practicing illegally without a licence from the Health Professions Council of Zambia (HPCZ).
She said anyone found would be charged because they were endangering the lives of human beings by prescribing medication even when they were not qualified to do so.
“I’m receiving this report for the first time but what I can assure you is that we are going to fish out all the masqueraders infiltrating the profession and risking people’s lives and on top of that charge them for endangering human lives,” she said.
Ms Masebo said that she would not leave any stone unturned and that all those found wanting would face the wrath of the law.
Recently, Reuben Mumba a Grade 11 dropout of Mpulungu was nabbed for providing healthcare services without any prior training in the health profession and registration with the Health Professions Council of Zambia.
Mr Mumba aged 45, had been arrested and charged for practicing as a health practitioner contrary to Sections 6 and 30 of the Health Professions Act No. 24 of 2009 of the Laws of Zambia and for operating an unlicensed health facility contrary to Section 36 of the same Act.
Until his arrest, Mr Mumba had been operating a grocery store at Muzabwera Market where he also sold and administered various medicines among them injectables including aminophylline, gentamycin and doxycycline.
Mr Mumba was allegedly found behind the door of his grocery store where he was intercepted before he could inject unknown medicines into a patient who went to him complaining of a suspected sexually transmitted infection.
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