Health workers in Mazabuka want government to send independent auditors to investigate the alleged financial scandal that has rocked the Mazabuka District Health Office.
The health staff, who sought anonymity for fear of possible intimidation and harassment, said in Mazabuka today that government as a matter of urgency should send auditors to look into the books of accounts for the district office.
They alleged that some named senior health managers and programme officers paid themselves hefty subsistence allowances during the Cholera outbreak, despite having not spent nights at Chivuna, Lubombo and Kaleya Cholera centres.
They warned that failure to intervene would compel them to shun any recruitment of officers to handle any disease outbreak especially the ‘Swine flu’ which is now posing a threat to African countries, Zambia inclusive.
“Some of us who worked throughout the outbreak period and spending nights were only paid K 45,000 as night allowance while those that worked in the day were paid K 35,000 and the senior managers paid themselves K 285,000 per night when they did not work,” they charged.
The workers said they are ready to cooperate with the auditors by providing incriminating evidence against the culprits because of the high levels of theft of public funds.
They also disclosed that funds that were released by the Centre for Infectious Disease and Research in Zambia, an American Non Governmental Organisation to motivate staff at the Anti retro-viral therapy clinic working for long hours had been grossly abused.
According to impeccable sources, a named medical doctor was only spotted at the clinic each time funds were released and would immediately return after receiving payment.
“Why is the ministry of health failing to deal with people stealing public funds. Does it mean the managers are being used by some big fish within the ministry,” asked a clinical officer who sought anonymity.
The sources added that no medical doctor has visited the ART clinic in the last three months and people enrolled for ART treatment were being attended to by clinical officers, who are now over loaded with work.
ZANIS
Next will be Mobile Clinic staff in Itedzi tedzi to claim. Whether this will be the best and most effective way to provide health care and who will benefit in the whole scenario is everyone’s guess.
I agree completely. We need accountability in all levels of service delivery if we wish to maintain donor support and continue to serve our people diligently.
Pa zed , the Sangwapo culture is back. Its a shame really.
scandal. Please let them hang.
will zed ever develop like this basimbwasi bafulisha mu govt.
uubomba mwibala alya mwibala concept is retrogressive and must not be condoned in public offices(at one’s own business , yeah why not ?)
What do you expect if there is no political will to fight corruption?
Anyway job well done wisle blowers, please Auditors move in quickly and assure the wisle blowers of the safety whether these allegations are proven or not. I am sure they have a basis but evidence is what is very important. We need wisle blowers even in government like those that blew the RP Capital deal and mobile hospitals. By doing that you are doing a service to Zambia.
Crime is a crime in what form it is ,deceit is deceit in what form it appears ,let the culprits be punished if found .We can only develop when we are genuine ,taking advantage of a diarrheal disease called cholera to accumulate wealth by short cut means and disadvantage the poor, the same goes for HIV?AIDs ….The resultant effect is prison
That’s what happens when you have a system which rewards debts and punishes savings.
THIS IS BAD INDEED, even doctors, people I thought had better morals in society than accountants, ministers and policemen are now trapped in the same net. I have no doubt that this is all as a result of poor conditions of service. If people who give others a salary have got only a budget of food in mind then you have to use other means to take your children to school, your family for a holiday, buy clothes, etc. So, the solution lies in giving them enough enjoy life and work.
#11,
it should read, “giving them enough to enjoy life and work”
A criminal is a criminal and remains a criminal , whether a President, a Judge , a medical doctor , a lawyer, a priest , a politician , a Military General ETC ,white collar crimes are counter development to the Nation…. And crime is punishable
#3 Disgruntled Zedian. It is a pity mwandini. That sangwapo culture came with Chiluba and it is so rife that people do not even feel shameful when they are telling you that naifwe tulyeko if you ask why they are doing it. You just have to ask how a mere cashier in a ministry can build five houses. It is there for everyone to see but no one is asking these people where they are getting the money from. That is why I call Chalala as “Plunderersdale”.
Arrest them all … …………..b.l.o.o.d.y. h.e.l.l.! …………buggers!
Yes its’ the political will that is lacking in ower govt. Levy Spooke highly against this vise. Thieves should be dealt with firmly
What was the matrix of corruption , that Levy and the post talked about ,let an intelligent person understand the matrix of corruption , what are the scalar and vector components and the resultant effect , when do they end…..
In a matrix of corruption , corrupt components as factors do exist for a long time…..
The workers said they are ready to cooperate with the auditors by providing incriminating evidence against the culprits because of the high levels of theft of public funds.
This issue has a dichotomy approach: Why there is rampant corruption in public offices and What needs to be done to effectively curb it. Both in central and local govt, workers (even at PS level) defraud, twist and dislodge funds from our coffers. They have built houses, take their children to expensive schools, drive expensive cars, drink expensive wines and spirits, they also have to maintain galufriends. You and I have been observing this for years on end. I ask you again WHY do they do that and WHAT needs to be done?
Banyandule
On ““Some of us who worked throughout the outbreak period and spending nights were only paid K 45,000 as night allowance while those that worked in the day were paid K 35,000 and the senior managers paid themselves K 285,000 per night when they did not work,” they charged.“, this is very sad. It must be looked at carefully for remember that President RB Banda and his other Constitutional Office bearers gave themselves serious increments on allowances last year. Such is thus not surprising from the managers at the District Health Offices in Mazabuka.
On “The workers said they are ready to cooperate with the auditors by providing incriminating evidence against the culprits because of the high levels of theft of public funds“, this is the best every Zambian must…
My Monthly is in excess of 10mK but I fail to match these civil servants- they able to cars, build Nigerian Film type of Mnsions. Now I know the secret.
What do you expect when the leaders have no sense of shame.
totally agree with number 23 and please they should also probe Medical stores limited…
Ni Tula Twabane culture !