By NATION REPORTER
THE continued non-availability of essential medicines and other medical supplies in hospitals across the country is not as a result of pilfering by medical doctors and other health workers but the incompetence of Health Minister Sylvia Masebo and the erratic supply of drugs, Mumbi Phiri has charged.
[ihc-hide-content ihc_mb_type=”show” ihc_mb_who=”4,5,6″ ihc_mb_template=”2″ ]
Ms Phiri, the former Patriotic Front (PF) deputy secretary general is advising Ms Masebo to stop accusing innocent doctors of pilfering drugs but should instead blame the shortage of drugs in hospitals on her inefficiency and inability to perform to the expectation of Zambians.
Ms Phiri said in an interview that government should own up and ensure that it restocked hospitals with drugs rather than lampooning doctors and other medical workers who were working under difficult conditions to deliver the best service to patients.
She said it was clear that hospitals were understocked and that it was quite unfair government was apportioning the blame on medical practitioners who it accused of stealing.
“I had an experience the time I was in prison. I was forced to buy my own drip water and in the process managed to get 29 of the satchets. Now, what about those that were not as fortunate as I was.” It is a disaster because there are no medicines in hospitals and our doctors are not thieves but healers who should be respected and celebrated. Masebo should stop demonising the health workers because that is demoralising,” Ms Phiri said.
Meanwhile, a team from the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) and Ministry of Health is in India for the pre-shipment inspection and witnessing the packing of the first consignment of Health Centre Kits. The government through ZAMMSA has procured 42, 000 health centre kits from Missionpharma which are expected to start arriving in the country next month. Once received the health centre kits will strengthen the public primary health care system and ensure that the country has uninterrupted supply chain.
[/ihc-hide-content]
