Health Minister, Kapembwa Simbao, says the Zambian public health sector is operating at far less than the required human resource capacity, resulting in a vicious cycle of over-worked staff and under served patients.
Speaking during the 7th Registered Nurses’ Graduation Ceremony for the Livingstone School of Nursing, Mr Simbao said government was aware of the shortfall of health workers in the country and conversant with the negative effects of such a shortfall on service delivery.
Mr Simbao said government shall take health human resource development and citizens’ health security as centre stage as it pursues national development.
The minister said government is firmly and steadily implementing the human resource for Health Strategic Plan which he said was road map for the resolution of the human resources crisis.
“Cognizant of these human challenges that the country is facing, we are now firmly and steadily implementing the HRH, which is out chosen and informed roadmap for the resolution of the human resources crisis that we are bedeviled with,” he said.
Mr Simbao said that with the help of cooperating partners, government has put in place measures that would ensure that the country gradually meets the human resources needs by training, recruiting and retaining more staff to the health sector.
The minister urged graduating students to be compassionate and diligent in their execution of duties and to put up an exemplary attitude.
Mr Simbao further urged the graduating students to grab every opportunity to learn more things in order to be abreast with emerging diseases and to ensure optimal care provision on their part and to stay clear of HIV and AIDS that he said had remained a major local, regional and global health challenge.
And Acting Medical Superintendent, Dr Namani Monze, has commended government and cooperating partners for improving hospital infrastructure at the institution.
Dr Monze said the hospital has a fully functional eye department, out patient and operating theatre, adding that plans are under way to have an optical workshop within the eye unit.
He noted that the pediatric and adult medical blocks have been constructed.
However, Dr Monze said the staffing levels for specialized doctors like ear, nose and throat and physicians need to be improved upon if quality health service was to be delivered.
Meanwhile, Livingstone General Principal Tutor, Likando Likando, says there had been an improvement in the performance of students from 88 per cent last year to 93 per cent this year in the pass rate.
However, Mr Likando observed that lack of staff accommodation, modern library and lecture theatre were some of the challenges for the institution.
Mr Likando added that reduced and erratic funding which lead to delayed and non implementation of student activities were additional challenges.
ZANIS
What is Simbao complaining about. There is no need to look todonors even for our staff training locally. We lack seriouness when it come to budget implementation. there is to much red tape. We need to readjust the way we conduct public affairs.
Just give them enough fringe benefits and incentives…
and all will be good…
As long as there is poor working conditions, no incetives,poor salaries, lack of motivation expect poor health service delivery and stop complaining coz you are selfish government.
Ale bwata bwata fye. Really nonse on the part of Simbao. Be more specific. Look you are beggers and the so called operating partners are former colonial masters who are now donors. Why sugar colt things.
I am confused. This same Dr. Monze, who said that Livingstone has not had an ambulance for a number of years. How can he then claim that there improvements to the hospital. How can a hospital not have an ambulance? We are dealing with life and death issues here. How many ambulances could have been bought from Kafupi’s $1.2 million, he spent on stupid shoes and ridiculous suits? How much does it cost to fix the laundry equipment at Livingstone General Hospital? Is this really the Tourist capital? This is a joke.
I remember a few months ago when nurses and doctors wanted a pay increase they ignored them. Well, as they say do not bite the hand that feeds you. Nurses and doctors can be employed anywhere around the world…That is why they should have been one of the best paid sectors in Zambia.