ZAMMSA was just a mess – Prof Chilengi

By VANESSA MAGAYA HEALTH Minister Professor Roma Chilengi has announced a comprehensive reset of the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA) following a forensic audit that exposed major weaknesses in procurement, stock management, distribution and institutional controls. Prof Chilengi says the reset is aimed at improving efficiency, accountability and transparency throughout the medical supply chain, from forecasting and procurement to storage and delivery of medicines to patients. Delivering a ministerial statement in Parliament yesterday, Prof Chilengi said the forensic audit at ZAMMSA had revealed that K1.4 billion in contracts had been awarded despite internal audit objections, with some prices inflated by as much as 1, 613 percent. “The forensic audit also established that 4, 096 shipments had disappeared from the warehouse management system, while 3.34 million units of medical commodities valued at approximately K290 million could not be verified and accounted for. Discrepancies amounting to K42 million had not been investigated, while an unregistered supplier had been awarded a contract worth K16.1 million,” Prof Chilengi said. Prof Chilengi has also revealed that the forensic audit had uncovered poor record keeping practices, missing procurement files and evidence of deliberate deletion of electronic records. Prof Chilengi says the findings had exposed critical weaknesses across ZAMMSA, from governance and senior management to day to day operations, contributing to an erosion of public confidence in the agency. “President Hakainde Hichilema ordered an independent forensic audit in late 2024 following concerns about the agency’s operations. In response to the findings, Government dissolved the ZAMSA board and removed the chief executive officer and other directors, while law enforcement agencies instituted investigations that resulted in arrests, with other investigations still ongoing,” Prof Chilengi said.

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