By NATION REPORTER
STREET protests have been planned against a looming drugs shortage that has hit health facilities.
Economic Freedom Fighters president, Kasonde Mwenda has taken the lead for organising the protests against drugs shortages, “due to a combination of poor planning and lack of seriousness by those charged with the responsibility.”
Mr Mwenda has therefore written to President Hakainde Hichilema notifying him of the planned country-wide demonstration against lack of medicines in government hospitals.
In a letter dated March 16, 2022, Mr Mwenda asked President Hichilema if he was aware that many poor Zambianss who could not afford buying their own medicines in pharmacies were dying as essential medicines had run out of government hospitals.
“Mr. President, why have medicines not been bought when Government allocated K13. 9 billion for the health sector in the 2022 national budget?
“Health sector budgetary allocation was increased by 44 percent in comparison to K9.7 billion in 2021 yet just three months into the 2022 budget year government hospitals have run out of essential medicines, what is going on Mr President?” Mr Mwenda asked.
He said what was happening had never happened in the country’s history and that the level of lack of seriousness was worrying, “it is a serious demonstration of a very uncaring government.”
“It now explains why last month government distributed the condemned Honey Bee drugs and claimed it was an accident. Please be honest on this serious matter and stop politicking over it,” he said.
Mr Mwenda said this week, a very sick citizen and taxpayer was turned away at Lusaka’s Matero Clinic to go and look for her own medicine and would have died had it not been for a good Samaritan who helped.
Meanwhile, president of the Patriots for Economic Progress (PeP) Sean Tembo also said they would stage street protests against the International Monetary Fund bailout loan which he noted was not taking the country anywhere.
“Bally with his IMF bailout loan is not taking this country anywhere. As PeP, we are commencing street protests next month,” Mr Tembo said.
