By Mukwima Chilala
A consortium of Health professional bodies has called for the withdrawal of the Health Professional Council of Zambia (HPCZ) bill from Parliament.
And the consortium has called for the disbandment of the HPCZ board saying its appointment was illegal.
Last year government through the then former Minister of Health Dr Jonas Chanda moved a motion to enact the Health Professional Council of Zambia 2020 bill whose objective was to amend the Health Professions Act of 2009 so as to revise the composition of the Council.
But speaking during a press briefing Resident Doctors Association of Zambia (RDAZ) president Brian Sampa said the bill must be withdrawn because it does not represent the aspirations of all Health professionals.
Dr Sampa said the bill does not present the aspiration of all the health professionals as the consultation process was not inclusive.
Meanwhile, Dr. Sampa has commended the government for reducing the General Nursing Council practicing licence fees from K378 to K100.
He has also urged Government to review and reduce fees for other professional bodies in the health sector.
And Biomedical Union of Zambia President Daniel Mwimbe said the Health Professionals of Zambia bill should be scrapped.
“We want to make it clear without having to beat about the bush that the Bill should be withdrawn as it does not represent the views of all health professionals in the country,” he emphasised.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Society of Physiotherapy (ZSP) has condemned Government’s decision to give priority to volunteers when it comes to the employment of health workers.
ZSP Secretary General Joseph Kamaloni said there is need for Government to consider health workers in locations that do not have health facilities where they can volunteer.
“Prioritising volunteers for employment next year will disadvantage graduates from rural areas who cannot manage to volunteer either due to lack of health facilities or finances to volunteer in urban areas,” Mr Kamaloni explained.
He also cautioned Government to be transparent when it comes to employing health workers so that none of them feel left out.
“There are a lot of professionals in the health sector who are not employed. Government should not limit the numbers to only nurses and doctors,” Mr Kamaloni said.
