THE current drug shortages in Zambia has continued raging with most hospitals not having essential medicines in health centres, clinics and hospitals, Patriotic Front Deputy Chairperson for Publicity Emmanuel Mwamba has said.
Mr Mwamba said the Parliamentary Committee on Health, Community Development, and Social Services recently established that stock-outs of medicines, medical supplies, and laboratory re-agents in public health facilities were frequent thereby endangering numerous lives of patients especially children.
He said The World Health Organisation (WHO) Operational Package for Assessing, Monitoring, and Evaluating Country Pharmaceutical Situations and the WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines, recommend a minimum availability of essential medicines to be at 70-80%.
Mr Mwamba said Zambia was however currently sitting at 42.2% availability of medicines and medical supplies.
He further said a large number of key hospital equipment and important laboratory diagnosis machines had broken down.
“Currently the Minister of Health Hon. Silvia Masebo, Presidential Advisor on Covid-19, Prof Roma Chilengi are in Geneva Switzerland to attend to a ten-day Conference to celebrate World Health Orga isation at 75 years,” he said.
The Seventy-sixth World Health Assembly is being held in Geneva, Switzerland from 21–30 May 2023.
The theme of this year’s Health Assembly is: WHO at 75: Saving lives, driving health for all.
