A recent draft report on user fees has revealed that the waiving off of user fees in Government health institutions has resulted in the immediate increase of patients seeking health services from Public health centres and institutions.
And the report has further disclosed that the move has also triggered drug shortages in most Government health centres.
Speaking in Lusaka today, Civil Society for Poverty Reduction Senior Consultant Dr John Milimo said the increased number of people visiting health centres has resulted into work overloads on the part of the health personnel whose numbers had remained stagnant.
Dr Milimo noted that the abolition of user fees has further resulted into loss of the main financial resource in Government institutions. Â He added that there had also been loss of staff such as cleaners and security guards.
Meanwhile, Dr Milimo has urged Government to put in place extra remedial measures aimed at attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on health.
Dr Milimo said the attainment of the MDGs on health would not be realised because of the so many health requirements that needed to be worked on by Government and other stakeholders in an effort to achieve the MDGs by 2015.
He cited the adequate supply of drugs to respond effectively to increased demand on public health services, increased staffing levels at resource health centres to enable the health personnel attend to the skyrocketed population seeking health services as some of the necessary requirements needed for the realisation of the MDGs.
Others measures, Dr Milimo cited include the provision of an adequate budget to heath institutions, provision of transport such as ambulances to cater for patients who travel long distances.
There we go
This country is too poor to afford Socialism.(free goods and sevices)
KK tried it and the very people he trying to care once hooked onto the jolly ride of free things RIOTED when the economy was scrapping the bottom of the barrel.It is unwise to start business which you cannot finish.
Use it! Even for tummy upsets.
If our governement can afford to hire an expertriate coach? then I assume it can afford to run a sustainable health care program. we can afford to take Sata and LPM abroad for treatment, why can we provide the basics for our people. our government has enough money to spend on useless things. if our government can afford to pay minister’s cell bills….it better find the money to pay for people’s health.
# 5. You have said it all. A lot of zedian have died without accessing minimum medical attention. Only politians and relatives to politians are safe in zed.
management, implementaion issues is what we suffer.poor africa, poor zambia
5. Mob Justice,
It is all about ideology. Zambia can easily afford universal healthcare, education and full employment. However, once you believe that ‘the markets will take care of everything’ as is the neoliberal mantra, and are supported in that belief by the IMF, which urged the closing of hospitals and schools… I think Zambian patients organisations should sue the IMF, even the government itself if they don’t deliver universal healthcare and education like under UNIP.
2. Theoretician,
” This country is too poor to afford Socialism. ”
This country is too poor to allow the mining companies to expatriate $2.4 billion in profits without taxation, as happened before.
#2, who told you that Zambia is poor. The only commodity with that label is our politicians brains. Zambia is centrally positioned for easy reach to surrounding markets. Zambia has all the minerals but politicians sell them in their raw form. Zambia has the most fertile soils with plenty of rain, rivers, lakes, and underground water to grow any type of crop whole year round. Zambia has got the highest number of educated people. Zambia is politically stable. Zambia has got more than 70 languages-which is a plus for tourism due to cultures. The list is endless. What more can you ask for? Sturvation, disease, unemployment etc are manmade in Zambia.
Yes, for as long as basic hygiene is not practiced, we shall have congestion at the health centers. We must institute in ourselves the understanding that prevention is better than cure. Further to this the government must ensure that all infats born get immunized against the known killer deseases. Teenagers and adults must willingly partake physical exercising routinely as a way of attaining long life longivity. There are a lot of benfits that come with physical fitness. Think about it, the chinese do exercise every morning for twenty minutes before embarking on work. No wonder they look energetic.
#5 i like your comment. uliwamano sana keep it up with comments that makes sense
# 9 Peter amen!
It is high time we started holding our fortune seekers accountable for things they fail to do whilst in power? if they were getting paid and nothing has been done, we have every right to take them to task. let us start asking our politicians real questions? come 2011, we the ordinary folks will be the ones fighting each other? instead of demanding for real answers. God help us? Capitalism has it’s advantages and disadvantages? and so is socialism or communism? look at Cuba’s health care system? ask our cuban trained doctors? it has continued to serve it’s purpose….meeting the needs of its citizens.
Can u believe that just last week a permernent secretary flew to Toronto on a business class ticket costing K30 million and you are there saying Zambia is poor.My friend actually made the booking and for fear of losing his job,i would have gone to THE POST to make it known how these *****s waste money on useless trips like these and this guy doesn’t care,wherever he goes he flies on business class.Its things like these that really makes me sad when people say we are poor when ministers like him misuse their authority.
User fees waived?
Sounds good.At least our families can be reminded of those UNIP days when Education and Health care was so manageable for all.
I also wonder why Zambia is graded among the poorest countries on the this globe.Do these dudes mean poorest managed country or they do have their own meaning of poor?
All the rivers and mountains,talk of sand in the western province while we don’t have a glad factory zere,talk of the eastern power with it’s national game parks,wonderful hills in Fort Jameson,beautiful landscape,talk of our timber in almost all our forests.Other countries make fake rocks and animals to promote their tourism industry and they make enough money out of it.We have money
cont'(sorry we don’t hv a GlASS FACTORY),we produce cement but but our cement is much more expensive that buying as far as China plus shipping and the like.
We have resources in abundance,we have the brains and we have the freedom but,we are still practicing beggarly.
We never do things without putting in mind a donor.Do we need donors to build and renovate our skuz and hospitals?We might need donors and the like in building our science park maybe.The most supprising thing is that before one becomes a politician,they see all kinda projects needed to be done all kinda developmental activities needed in around the country,in schools from where they received their basic edu,in theirwork place,
As much as we appreciate that Govt has waived user fees, Govt must also ensure that these institutions are properly stocked with drugs. Otherwise the whole thing will be meaningless, and will be getting back to why user fees were introduced.
As for #14, i hope the shushushus’ have picked your tip, though am sure LPM should be aware about it as a PS cannot leave the country without his consent. You remember the Shansonga case.
its like these people just wake up and decide to implement a law, while i do agree that the government can afford this venture if it is given priority, however, they should also sit and down and properly discuss what effects such a move would have and how they can curb and avoid running into situations like shortage of drugs…plan ahead ba government know exactly what you r dealing with before implementing…
#9 I have heard that song of fertile soil, minerals rivers and lake and pontential for tourism since I was a small boy in primary school. What do the zambians do? piss on the “rich” soil and rivers and wait for a populist president to give them free chibuku during campaigns and free everything when he wins.Look at zim today. Zambians are zimbos are similar people like twins; born from UK’s FRN.Japan has’nt got the the resources we have but look were they are? You can run away from GDP. Kindly reasearch Michael Porter’s Diamond Theory and you will understand why? wikipedia online encyclopedia will certainly have the data
Cabinet is full of empty tins tho there are few intelligent ones but the bootlickers carry the day.Teta,Mulongoti,Mpombo en others.
LT WHY ARE YOU BLOCKING MY REPLY TO #8
#8 Metal prices go through cycles of depression. We are now waiting for one (the next). No need to be excited about the belated windfall tax. It will dry up. Better to invest it into mre sustainable project/infrastructure than consumption.
The four components of Porter’s framework are:
Factor Conditions
Related And Supporting Industries
Demand Conditions
Strategy, Structure, And Rivalry
Other scholars have added CHANCE and ROLE of GOVT as additional factors to the model.High copper prices and the consequent windfall taxes constitute a CHANCE which GOVT can utilise to invest in infrastructure/construction to spur growth thus create employment for the poor than offer free services (CONSUMPTION).
Forget the Grade Seven social studies argument of rich abundant soil, rivers, lakes, mineral to semi literate politicians & appointees like DA’s. DRC is richer in resources than Zambia for example but where is it on the rankings.Making a mistake is not a sin BUT it is a sin to refuse to learn from a mistake.Let us as a nation learn from previous mistakes & be bold to hold fast
#5, 14 All these arguments about hring an expatriate coach, evacuating Sata, bussiness class tickets are valid complaints on how govt can control spending.They infact constitute the CONSUMPTION I am talking about. However, they cannot justify spending on consumption over sustsianable infrastucture development that in turn spurs growth creates employment and puts money in the pocket of the poor (workers.
Poverty is all in one’s mind, once poor thinking sets its HQ in your mind you are finished. This Government is not poor, its like the debate we had on pensions, a guy gets 200 million in pension, blows it booze and prostitutes and then you say he is a destitute. We have a lot of money but we spend it on the wrong things. K30million business class X 12 months, this is over 300 million in a year, converted to Panadol = 200,000 packets to serve 200,000 people, if we get to this level of analysis then we shall be a better country.
and the like,,
the problem comes in when they get into politics.They turn their ears anti-clockwise.They become deaf.How can one come from a well blessed area where pipo edu their children thru planting and selling greens throughout the year,and when he becomes minister of Veggies and sugarcane forget to improve the area in terms of easy production incentives bla bla bla while he was educated from a veg,banana and sugarcane?
We have to change the way we handle developmental issues.Put devepment kusogolo and the pocket shall be bulk in all generations.Amen
There is a saying which goes like this: Give a man a fish and he will ask for another fish tommorrow.Teach a man how to fish and he will bring you a fish tommorrow. All I am saying in simple language is that rather than give a man a fish, employ him to build a dam across the river so that he can earn a wage/money to buy a fish or if he wants, buy a net and start his own fish business of selling fish. Empower the poor. Give them WORK not AID.
Even with the best controls on govt expediture misuse will persist its a worlwide problem.
This good, meaning that more Zambians can now attain better health. It is encouraging to see that those who had communicable diseases and used to shy away from getting cured are attending hospitals. There is noting better than a healthy nations. I hope this gesture is met with increased production due to improved health and more working hours.(Sick days reduced)
A practice of healthy living and not taking chances with life is the best option. A clean environment, fresh food, routine exercises and non risky behaviour is enough to keep the doc away.