WHERE’S MY INSULIN? ASKS DIABETIC PATIENT

Thu, 06 Apr 2017 10:25:56 +0000

By Mailesi Banda

HEALTH workers at Kalingalinga clinic are allegedly denying diabetic patients access to insulin with the intention of selling the drugs.

A diabetic patient Malumbo Daka of Kalingalinga compound complained that even after being referred by doctors from the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) to be getting the drugs from the local clinic, staff at the clinic had denied her access to medication.

Speaking in an interview with the Daily Nation, Ms Daka complained that she could not afford to buy the drugs which were selling at K200 at the local chemist.

Ms. Daka wondered where her allocation for the medicine was going as the doctors at UTH confirmed to her that insulin was allocated to clinics based on the number of diabetic patients at a particular time.

“I have been diabetic for four years now and since the time I was put on insulin I was told I should be getting my medication from Kalingalinga clinic but this has proved a challenge as each time I go there I am referred to either Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital or UTH,’’ she said.

She charged that last week when she visited the clinic to get the medication the staff found at the dispensary showered her with insults and accused her of pretending to be a diabetic patient.

She appealed to the Ministry of Health to investigate the matter and find out where her insulin was being taken.

She complained that even when she was admitted at the clinic the health personnel asked her to bring her insulin from home, saying they did not have the drug in stock.