NOTE that we expect anything to be done about our complaint over the shambles pertaining in the Ministry of Health, as we have done so before.
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However, we feel something urgent needs to be done if only to save the lives that are needlessly being lost as its leadership is largely more into politicking than tackling the problems facing the health sector.
The mess in the ministry starts from the disrupted procurement chain that was dictated by politics rather than professionalism in the manner that medicines were being obtained.
It is not the first time that we are complaining about the Cancer Diseases Hospital that is operating without reagents and other necessities, not to mention lack of radiation equipment whose absence results in patients dying.
Amidst all this failure, the ministry has announced plans to set up two cancer hospitals. We find this totally unacceptable when it cannot equip the existing Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka.
Who are they trying to impress?
Talking about the radiation equipment at the Cancer Hospital in Lusaka, it was known long before the new dawn administration came into office that it was deteriorating and it has finally packed up.
The priority of the ministry should have been to ensure that the equipment was replaced for radiation is the lifeline for cancer patients.
Without functioning radiation equipment, cancer patients have literary been condemned to death.
In fact, this is what is obtaining on the ground. Patients cannot access radiation treatment hence they are turned away to go and die from their homes.
But instead of replacing the broken-down equipment at the Cancer Hospital, the powers-that-be would rather build two new ones.
Politics have taken centre-stage at the ministry of Health that has seen the procurement chain politicised as companies viewed as not “politically correct” have been sidelined.
Locally made medicine which is cheaper and of international standards has been overlooked.
This has resulted into medicines and drugs being ordered at great cost which end up being recalled as they are found to be of substandard.
In the meantime, it is the poor Zambians who suffer the most as they cannot afford the expensive medicines they are forced to access from private pharmacies.
The situation is so bad that patients – those who ca afford – have to access laboratory and screening services for things like C-scan and ECHO from private hospitals.
In addition, it is common knowledge that some hospitals and clinics – particularly in remote areas – do not have running water and patients have to answer the call of nature by going to the bush.
It is time that sanity returned to the Ministry of Health for in its present state – political mode – no one is safe.
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