By Dr. Chiyaba Njovu
When I look back at stories of eminent Zambians being evacuated for medical treatment abroad, my heart bleeds. Is this the way we are going to live surely? What about my poor mother who is not known by anybody in government or has no voice of her own? But if it is FTJ, Sata, some government minister or any of the so-called eminent people falling ill, they are quickly evacuated at great expense to specialist hospitals abroad. This begs the question: are some Zambian lives more important than others? How about our hard working ordinary civil servants, the general citizenry, the children, the orphans, the disabled? Aren’t they too entitled to good health care?
To me this says a lot about our social policies; our medical systems in Zambia and government’s lack of long term planning. Medical issues affect all citizens and it saddens me to see people who could have been contributing to the development of Zambia dying in their homes. While, we appreciate that government may not have enough money for improving medical facilities country wide, there are better ways in which the meagre resources available could be used for the benefit of the majority Zambians. We seem to have enough resources for all the non-essential things that please whoever is in power but we fail to prioritise the most important thing to every living human being – the right to life through good health care. We all need good health care irrespective of one’s status in society.
I would love to hear what plans all political parties have on this and many other that affect every citizen in the country. This is worrying. We need these leaders to address issues of health care, education, employment, food, housing and wealth generation ventures and not name calling. I urge all Zambians to take these leaders to task on these issues and evaluate them accordingly.
Proposal to help fund health care and lessen the burden on the tax payer
In the case of the rich people, former heads of state and other eminent people in society who have a secured pension, I think it would help Zambia as a nation if these people could be entitled or made to pay into a medical insurance fund (taken off from their retirement package or paid from their individual pockets) which should be contributed to a hospital sponsored insurance company of their choice.
This package would allow them to access medical treatment at that hospital and where that hospital lacks the required facilities, the insurance company would then pay for the affected person to be treated at any hospital anywhere in the world. Contributions from such a scheme would not only generate money for capacity building at the hospitals running such a scheme but would also allow for ease of co-operation with other specialists in the region and world over.
I believe that this would save money instead of the ad hoc knee-jerk reactions of evacuating former heads of state or so-called eminent people to foreign hospitals at great expense to the tax payer. The tax payer foots the bill for these eminent people but the same government fails to foot the bill for the tax payer when faced with a similar situation. This to me is worse than apartheid.
As the Zambian economy grows and the capacity to pay for many Zambians increases, such a scheme would not only help improve the quality of healthcare in Zambia but may in the long term help improve the quality of lives for the majority Zambians. If we were to take lessons from our colonial masters, the idea here would be to emulate the National Health Service as operated in the UK. Think and look beyond today and plan for how such a scheme would operate in Zambia. There are many ways we could explore into forging ahead with such an idea.
It would be wise for government to seriously consider such a move because ad hoc evacuations can never be sustained. Ordinary Zambians too should by right be entitled to medical treatment as lives for all Zambians are valuable. I do not want to say this because some prominent people are unwell but as leaders, irresponsible actions while in office have repercussions on other people’s lives, and at times even their own lives. We need to carry out our responsibilities seriously as leadership must be viewed to be a responsible undertaking for national development. That is the reason why most serious governments take matters of education, health, environment and food security very seriously.
Leaders must have a vision for tomorrow and not behave like they shall remain leaders eternally. Take a look at our former president, his excellency Mr. FTJ Chiluba who has to frequently rush to South Africa for treatment. Should he be in such a situation if he had thought about a post FTJ Zambia? You need to run a country in a way that makes you feel you could live happily as an ordinary citizen. FTJ’s case should not be seen as the first and last one. Many Zambians have felt let down by our governments before but no one ever considers their plight. We need to learn a lesson not only as former presidents but anyone who is in a responsible public office.
Good
Ok
chabulanda sana
Stop sending ‘people’ to RSA for manageable diseases and develop major hospitals like UTH ! Shaaa
Maureen, you ve got a point there!
Good mornining all!!
Morning Baby C
Yes this SA issue is bad for Zambians!! Onlygood for the Govt Officials. Do these Guys really care?
Was it not few weeks ago when our own president was bosting that the evacuation of minister abroad for reatment will not stop, these people never listen, they only realise when they are no longer in state house.
Chaipa maningi
Baby C,Jamaco,Matworld,Ba Moze,Rashid,Man Kunde,Cutey,Lusaka,Pumpy,Sarah Jones,3RqU , Pinkly,Mwiza and all those i have left i truelly,deeply,madly miss u guys. Baby C check yo mail n call me.Am out
It very true! These politicians should be, by all means made accountable for their irresponsible actions. “No good Health service within Zambia, No politician going abroad for medical aid on tax payers money. Otherwise every ordinary Zambian should be going abroad too.This is just total fraud. These monsters have got a lot of benefits already but they still want to take more and more from the poor people of Zambia (Good health, education bursaries, etc) Enough is enough bane please! 😮 This upsets me honestly~X(
Good morning all
Isn’t evacuation to South Africa the best solution and tough luck to those that can’t make the list? Tesheti!!
and these so called eminent persons are treated by Zedian doctors, you can imagine.
Zoe
I asked you about a Rav4 last week but no response. Why? Yenze bwanji weekend?
De beta improve facilities at UTH,after all someone told me that when this people are taken to places like south africa bemba and nyanja are the official languages coz most of the nurses and Doctors who attends to this people are zambians, who have gone there for better conditions,so maybe with the improvements at UTH, this brain drain can be minimised 😕
Good suggestions Dr Chiyaba, but i doubt if the politicians will hear your plea, let alone even read it. they are so engrossed in fattening themselves to the grave. look at the rate they are falling ill, like over-ripe magoes from a mango tree.I hope we just need to wait until all of them drop dead and then we can sart anew. But that is not possible going by the situation where even young ones like Taima(spelling) Richard who are young but are fast catching up on the culture of lies and burrying ones head in the sand when faced with real problems. We are in for a raw deal with no sight in the end.
its good to read such articles.actually the whole health system need complete overhole.in 21st centuary we still have 1 medical sch with an average anual graduate output of 50 Drs.this is a scandal!!!Uganda fo example,has more 3 public medical schs,and yu can guess how many Drs are available fo the citizens.in zed yu still find kanyama,chawama, matero ares only with 1 clinic each,and a Dr if luck.if yu look at these areas’ populations,only God knows.we need a complete change of midset towards healthg issues…to be cot’d.
:-?:-?:-?:-?:-?:-?
Zoe good morning. Jamaco shani man?
Morning guys. Baby C did you see a rat that came here last night? 😮
Let me read now.
For the lat time. 24 hours is over now.:o):o):o)
It’s a pity that government officials have no ears. Shame on you. The story above can change Zed for better. Ba V.J balwa imfuko elyo baila ku South. What is Task Force on Corruption doing about this day light corrupt practice? Is their any connection between our government leaders and RSA hospital owners? Can someone research this please before all our money is taken into there pockets.
Zed has the money but no plan to be self reliant. Every yr auditor’s report uncovers theft of some sort and no corrective action taken.
zed with a population of over 12million(latest CSO report),having less tan 900 Drs in public service is a shame when even our very medical sch has had over 2000 graduates frm inception.where are the Drs we have produced? the ans is simple,zed is producing Drs for botswana,namibia,south africa,uk,usa,newzealand,australia among the major beneficiaries.we will argue on this issue for yrs to come,but the powers that be will find themselves in S/A,as fo yu and me its survival of the fittest.let’s brainstorm on this important issue and demand our basic health rights from our leaders…..to be continued.
Its sad because we have about the best ENT (Ear Nose and Throat) Clinic at UTH but why send some rigger to go and have his left ear looked at in RSA at the expense of ordinary zambians like the poor fella in Russia.
18. 3RqU
Morning
Morning 3RqU
No i didnt! i gave up after Jamaco rigged Nambala l-).:o):o):o)
Zoe , where were you?
You see this is where our leaders miss the point. They educate people to be Doctors and then expect them to work in Zed Hospitals where the are no proper nor basic facilities for one to practice their medical skills as a result these Doctors are merely produced for other countries. Common sense please. I am sorry, but these old people don’t honestly have brains [-(
…maybe “Doctor, Patients confidentiality” palibe pa Zed and the politicians are scared that if they are HIV positive, their status will be known by everyone :-??
i was at Ndola central hospital last week and i was very amazed that the hospita actually has a full wing on the last floor that is completely empty. its not being used for anything. The wing needs a bit of renovations yes but there is plenty of space being wasted. Why not turn the wing into something something ward that we do not have yet in this country?
It is a real disgrace that we can have such selfish leaders.Leaders who show no remorse and do not care about the plight of the ordinary citizen!We really need a change of attitude and better leadership.Our hospitals leave much to be desired even the prestigious UTH,the young nurses have migrated-brain drain so we have old nurses past retirement age who are so irate and forever shouting at patients due to frustrations,overwork,underpay.Zambia is one of the few countries where Doctors go on strike,because they work under very bad conditions.We need Change in this country!
there is a wing in G-block which was for the head of state. Only Dr Kaunda used that facility todate, its dilapidated because ba Chiluba, childhascome, VJ, Teta, Sata, brought in the word that because latest in the Zambia vocabularly – evacuation.
Bloggers! We ve talked and talked and still talks about this issue and yet our selfish leaders dont listen! Only last week, we were assured by our president that, evacuations of senior goverment officials to S.A will continue! Its very eveident that this goverment has turned a deaf ear to the cries and plight of its people! We ve done our part by advising our leaders! Now since they are too stubborn to listen, lets turn to what they know best….demostrations!! and you will see how quickly they will act!!!!
My good Dr. problem like Shakespear says in Julius Caesar is not in our stars but in our selves. We are too passive. All need is stop the plane thats trying to evacuate one of these chinondos. We go to the airport emasse and line up on the runway. Yes we will be arrested but no freedom comes without sweat. Lets do it and our billions of $s will be spent in Zambia to improve our medical facilties.
Lusaka my dear am rarely online n didnt see tht msg.Kindly send it 2me on [email protected].
Ka Pinkly ninshi kanshi?Call kanshi beep wemwaiche,am out guys…
#30. you are right about the demostration but the question is how many of us Zambians are willing to take part in the demo??
Zoe
Ok!!!
Mulamu
Even 2 people can make the sleeping goverment to wake up!!!!
“It was not fear of being sacked from the Republican vice-presidency that I gave up the job to Levy. It was just a practical thing. In the year I’m talking about, Tetamashimba was still in the UPND and therefore he has just expressed serious ignorance of what went on, although I am aware that whilst he was secretary general of UPND, the MMD used him extensively to obtain information on the goings on in UPND,” Kavindele said.
Goodmorning Baby C, Zoe, Jamaco, Ba Maureen, Lusaka & all. I am really busy this week but I managaed to steal a few minutes to spend with you guys.
Yes indeed the call is justified for the gov’t to seriously find a solution to the problem at hand.
‘What about my poor mother who is not known by anybody in government or has no voice of her own? But if it is FTJ, Sata, some government minister or any of the so-called eminent people falling ill, they are quickly evacuated at great expense to specialist hospitals abroad. This begs the question: are some Zambian lives more important than others? How about our hard working ordinary civil servants, the general citizenry, the children, the orphans, the disabled? Aren’t they too entitled to good health care?’
How about 17 yr old MMD GRZ Russian based medical sponsored student Mr Cardson kabwe’s heart operation help health issue? What has President RB Banda done to help our 25 yr old man?
This article hits home,it clearly depicts the minds of people that we have entrusted into goverment. Perhaps, its time for individuals whose solem devotion is to uplift the living standards of Zambians through improved health care facilities to be the next grop to govern the country-The Old generation have really failed us-out they should be ousted. Health is the most cardinal of institutions by which all governments should be accountable to-stop this South Africa treatment crap.
We need to demostrate, enough is enough, we just have to do what it takes for them to hear us, if they want people to demo for them to buy medical equipments, then so be it:d/
Above all this and the bottom line is—–Its the Zambian well paid nurses doing this job..
Why not make Zambian nurses working conditions at par with those in SA.?? :-?:-?
Maybe the gov’t should situate in RSA for quick medical attention and only come to Zambia when they are well enough to work.
Dr Njovu has highlighted the problem but he has not offered a solution. Taking money from these VIPs as medical insurance cannot be enough to care for them in expensive medical institutions abroad. The solution is to invest heavily in the healthcare institutions in Zambia to the benefit of all. The UNZA library has this plaque..’Let this legend of self sacrifice on the part of poor people… become an inspiration to all, so that every good that shall come out of this building shall be to the greater glory of the people.’ (KK) Zambians built UNZA and UTH to world standards in the 60’s. WE CAN AGAIN.
Zambian governments since the 1980’s failed to uplift the standards of health institutions. I believe the will was there but the wherewithal was not. We passed through a time of economic decline. This was not excusable, nonetheless. Till the collapse of ZCCM, the mine hospitals had better facilities and were well staffed. We should not forget however that HIV/AIDS laid an unbearable burden on the already limping health services in the 1980’s. UNIP’s failure to allow private hospitals to work in tandem with govt. contributed to this pathetic state too.
Liberalisation of the health service ‘market’ came at a time when doctors and nurses were hard up for cash like anyone else for that matter. Medical care is expensive and needs a lot of capital. A private practitioner in Zambia cannot single handedly finance operating theater, diagnostic facilities, laundry and sterile services, food and lodging for in-patients and all to standards seen in RSA! Government must assist. Even Mission hospitals have problems.
With Mission hospitals, the problems may be human resources.
Most Mission hospitals can procure equipment, but who is there to work and maintain the stuff?
Health care does not create wealth so it does not come under the so called ’empowerement program.’ Zambians have been denied a foothold into health services. The result now is a few private clinics here and there which will maximise profits by doing only what will bring in money for the doctors but not real high quality health care. Who owns the former ZCCM hospital in Lusaka? mmmm
BUPA is advertising on this LT site!
I AGREE WITH YOU KADOYO. ALL THESE POLITICIANS GOING TO SOUTH AFRICA
FOR TREATMENT ARE HIV POSITIVE AND DONT WANT TO KNOWN.
SOME OF THEM THEIR LOOKS GIVE THEM AWAY. HOW CAN VJ GO TO SOUTH
AFRICA FOR AN EAR TREATMENT? LOOK AT HIS LOOKS ITS AN OBVIOUS THING
ITS NOT EAR PROBLEM OR IF IT IS, THEN ITS THE AIDS WHICH HAS CAUSED
THAT PROBLEM. ZAMBIANS DEMONSTRATE TO STOP ALL THESE MONEY WASTERS
FROM WASTING MORE TAXI PAPERS MONEY. SOON THEIR PARTNERS WILL FOLLOW.
:)>-