By NATION REPORTER
THE health system in Zambia has collapsed because the supply chain for essential medicines and other medical supplies has been broken resulting in the critical and persistent shortage of drugs in the country, former Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya has said.
And Dr Chilufya has observed that while there had been an increase in expenditure on medicines and other medical supplies, the investment
Dr Chilufya, the Mansa Central Patriotic Front Member of Parliament has appealed to Government to urgently fix the supply chain of essential medicines and other medical supplies which he said had collapsed even after there had been an increase in the budgetary allocation to the health sector.
Dr Chilufya said universal health coverage should be based on resilient health systems, which needed urgent fixing particularly the supply chain which has resulted into procrastination in the procurement of drugs.
Debating the 2023 budget, Dr Chilufya said it was imperative for the government to invest in the health sector which should be translated to the availability of medicines on the shelves of hospitals.
He failure would result in the country experiencing a toll on human life, a situation he said was worrisome.
“Your tone for universal health coverage must be based on resilient health systems and ensure that you fix the supply chain for essential medicines and other medical supplies.
“The supply chain of drugs in this country has collapsed and because the supply chain has collapsed, it means the health systems have collapsed. Ensure that you save lives and push towards universal health coverage and fix all the fundamentals,” Dr Chilufya said.
And Dr Chilufya said the non-availability of reagents in public hospitals was making the diagnosis of all emergencies such as diabetes and hypertension among others delayed resulting into death.
“It is urgent and imperative for you to ensure the investment translates into the availability of medicines on the shelves otherwise the toll on human life is worrisome.
“If you do not have reagents in laboratories, it means that all medical emergencies such as diabetes and hypertension result in delayed diagnosis and even death,” Dr Chilufya said.
He told the House that the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) was an important health care finance tool which had removed the need for out of pocket payment from among citizens.
He said Government should invest in the health security to protect the economic reconstruction which the new dawn administration had embarked on.
Dr Chilufya however said he was concerned that the budget on health was silent on public health emergency which was a tool for preparedness in fighting outbreaks such as Covid-19 and Ebola.
