President Hakainde Hichilema has called on the Zambia Medical Association to ensure that quality standards are maintained by all practicing doctors.
President Hichilema said the polarisation of medical training institutions has compromised the quality of doctors being produced, an issue the association must urgently address.
Speaking when he officially opened the 59th Zambia Medical Association conference and annual General meeting in Livingstone, President Hichilema said ignoring the quality of doctors we have in health facilities is a risk to the wellbeing of the citizenry.
President Hichilema has however assured health practitioners that the Government values the significant role they play in providing health services and reaffirmed Government commitment to supporting the profession.
“Government has demonstrated its commitment to the health sector by increasing the budgetary allocation to health amidst budgetary constraints,” the President said.
President Hichilema said the government had prioritized the rebuilding of the economy to be able to build capacity in providing the requirements of the health sector.
The Head of State said now that the debt restructuring has been sealed, the Government is committed to increasing support to the health sector.
Mr Hichilema also reiterated Government commitment to improving infrastructure in the health sector through the Constituency development fund.
He said through CDF each health facility must have a maternity annex with running water to enhance maternal care.
The President has however expressed concern over the high prices at which institutions mandated to procure medical drugs are buying the drugs for the country.
“Various entities tasked to procure drugs on behalf of citizens are sitting on fair government deals in the procurement process which has seen some procurement officers connive with suppliers a matter Government is keenly addressing,” he said.
President Hichilema said the Government is committed to investing in the health sector but needs must be prioritized.
He said investment in digital health systems are key if the country’s health system is to be more efficient.
And Minister of Health Sylvia Masebo said there is great need to address the human resource challenges in the health sector.
Ms. Masebo said over 39 health facilities across the country have been completed and awaiting commissioning but lack of health workers to run the facilities remains a hindrance.
She acknowledged the recruitment of over 11,000 health workers but that the gap is still huge.
Meanwhile Zambia Medical Association President Crispin Moyo has commended Government for the supply of medical kits to health centres a development he said was unprecedented.
Dr. Moyo has however called for the review of the composition of the health centre kits to ensure that kits have the right drugs to meet the needs of the patients.
He also emphasized the need to decentralize the procurement of drugs to ensure constant supply of essential drugs in health facilities.
The ZMA President also appealed to the government to address the low employment levels of doctors.
Dr. Moyo said doctors are willing to be deployed in rural areas and provide health services to people in rural areas.
The 59th Zambia Medical Association scientific conference and annual General meeting is being held under the theme” Strengthening health systems by leveraging Digital Health to address emerging and existing”.
What about the quality of life of gay people? We gays also voted for you. We can vote you out.
No vote for backside entrants even “mentally retarded” animals don’t do that perversion.Zambia is an upright/straight God fearing Christian nation.
Mlevi I am tired of explaining to people like you about how animals are also gay. You are just a frustrated heterosexual homophobe. I won’t waste my time on a sausage like you
Dear Mr President
You have brought in a lot of cadres in the ministry of health who are causing lots of problems. We do not need political technocrats and politics must be taken away. The distribution of medicine is unfair. We have 2 provinces that are receiving more medicines even when they do not need excess amounts. They are being favoured more than others, purely on politics. We have reported this issue as it has led to more people perishing in other provinces, while these 2 favoured provinces have stockpile of life saving medicines
Concerned Medical Staff.
This is serious , really does this president mean well for the remaining eight provinces, this is genocide better people open their eyes the remaining three years people in other provinces will be dying like flies, is this what Zambians wanted when they voted in large numbers .
The sudden emergence of Google-Doctors, Google Nurses and other professionals are a result of the recklessness of PF policies. The Higher Education Regulation Authority was approving substandard higher education institutions.In the Ministry of Health,Dr Mujajati who attempted to enforce high standards as was unceremoniously ejected by Dr Chilufya.And now we have some health practioners of questionable quality
A friends’ child was taken ill with a stomach ailment.After sniking out to google a diagnosis and an intervention, a certain clinician returned with a prescription. Among the list of medicines recommended to be bought was Eco Vora
What the person has said above is very true. I work in the ministry of health and I can attest that southern province is one province being favoured. I do not think that HH is instructing senior managers or directors in the ministry to favour southern province. The problem is that we have senior managers who think they have more powers than the minister and the permanent secretary. When you ask why rules are changing every week, all we get is that they are connected to State House. These people are not medical professionals or fit such job roles. They are political activists, rude, and arrogant…………
What the person has said above is very true. I work in the ministry of health and I can attest that southern province is one province being favoured. I do not think that HH is instructing senior managers or directors in the ministry to favour southern province. The problem is that we have senior managers who think they have more powers than the minister and the permanent secretary. When you ask why rules are changing every week, all we get is that they are connected to State House. These people are not medical professionals or fit such job roles. They are political activists, rude, and arrogant…………
The only things this us£l£ss man knows how to do is fly all over for useless meetings that never yield anything tangible and opening/speaking at conferences/workshops. What plans does he have to improve the livelihood of the Zambian people? When is he going to seat down and start fixing the economy, since he claims he’s an economic manager?
Also the last 3 conferences he’s officiated at have been in Livingstone. Why? Are there no other towns/cities that can host these useless/pointless talkfests?
Zambians…wake up and get rid of this inept, tribal, sponging crook before he ruins the country any further.
@ illsaywhatiwant
Traveling yes but Livingstone is the Tourist Capital of Zambia and we need more conferences in Livingstone…Tourism and Lodges is the only industry in Livingstone
Livinstone is the tourist capital
find something more relevant to criticize
You are failing to pay interns who do most of the donkey work working 24hr shifts without even giving them a bottle of water forget meal or anything else then you expect them to give their best? If you expect the best then you have to put in the best.
Zambia has consistently failed to live up to UN goals of spending 15% of GDP on healthcare.Bwana HH the onus is on you.