Has Minister of Health, Sylvia Masebo, Failed? Absolutely Not.
I Write What I Like
20.07.2024
By Daimone Siulapwa
In the last few days, criticism has been levied against the Minister of Health, Sylvia Masebo, accusing her of failing in her duties.
However, such accusations fail to take into account the complex and multi-faceted challenges she has faced since assuming office.
The difficulties encountered by the Ministry of Health regarding the procurement and supply of medicines can be attributed to several significant factors, many of which were beyond Masebo’s immediate control.
*Inherited debt from the Patriotic Front (PF) Government*
Firstly, the UPND government inherited an enormous debt from the PF administration.
This legacy of financial mismanagement left suppliers disgruntled and unwilling to continue providing essential medical supplies.
It is a well-known fact that unpaid debts can cripple any procurement system, and the health sector was no exception. When the UPND took over, these suppliers boycotted supply, leading to immediate shortages and exacerbating an already dire situation.
*Suspension of Procurement Staff*
Secondly, in an attempt to address rampant corruption, the UPND made a critical decision to suspend the entire procurement staff on suspicion of gross corruption.
While the intention was noble, the execution was flawed. The blanket suspension without an immediate replacement plan led massive disruptions in the procurement process.
This vacuum created delays and inefficiencies that further strained the supply chain of medical necessities.
*Transition to ZAMMSA*
Another pivotal change was the transfer of the procurement of medicines from the Ministry of Health to the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA).
Such a significant shift should have been executed gradually to ensure a seamless transition.
Instead, the abrupt changeover caused confusion and operational hiccups, further complicating an already challenging environment.
The new system needed time to stabilize and align with the demands of the health sector.
*Changing 90% of Medicine Suppliers*
Moreover, the move to change almost 90% of medicine suppliers created additional hurdles.
Establishing new supplier relationships is a complex process that involves negotiating terms, ensuring compliance with regulations, and building trust.
The sudden overhaul led to delays in supply as new suppliers struggled to meet the demands.
Additionally, this transition period was marked by over-procurement in an attempt to cover the supply gaps, leading to storage and payment complications.
*Misplaced Blame and Responsibility*
Given these challenges, it is unjust to place the blame solely on Minister Sylvia Masebo.
The role of a minister is to oversee policy, while the implementation lies with the technocrats.
The Minister of Health provides strategic direction, but the actual execution of procurement policies is under the purview of ZAMMSA, which works independently and does not fall under the Ministry of Health.
It is important recognize that the board of ZAMMSA bears significant responsibility for the operational inefficiencies and should be held accountable for the failures in the supply chain.
All in all, Minister Sylvia Masebo has not failed. She has been navigating a minefield of inherited issues, systemic corruption, and operational missteps made in the haste to reform a broken system.
It is essential to distinguish between policy oversight and operational execution.
The Ministry of Health, under Masebo’s leadership, has faced unprecedented challenges, and while there have been missteps, the blame should not be placed solely on her shoulders.
The focus should now be on addressing these systemic issues, ensuring a smooth operational framework within ZAMMSA, and holding the appropriate parties accountable for the failures in the supply chain.
Minister Sylvia Masebo deserves recognition for her efforts in a tumultuous environment, not unwarranted criticism.
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Daimone Siulapwa is a political analyst, an advocate for tribal unity, and Citizen Economic Empowerment.
For all comments and inquiries regarding content creation, research, speeches, proposals, book writing, creative marketing, investigations, and more, please feel free to contact us at dsiulapwa@gmail.com
Lol
Zambia has so much human capacity in the diaspora to run ZAMMSA, who have and run big projects. One person who comes in my mind is a one Dr. Lwansa with proven work experiences in 4 sub Saharan countries. He is a man who was head hunted to run the UNDP/GFTAM Program in war torn South Sudan and acquired himself ably. Zed should look to such and more for the ZAMMSA DG post. Minister Masebo look for Dr. Mulenga Lwansa
I too agree with this idea of looking beyond to bring our highly skilled professionals back to the country and help us steer forward . I have heard of Dr. Mulenga Lwansa”s work.
That ministry needs a man not woman
Masebo is doing fine. Businessmen are the one causing chaos!!.
MoH is doing fine under Masebo
Well exposited article Daimone
If you doubt her performance, go to Ndola where there are no corrupt people and things are working well. Go to any hospital run by Flying Doctors, Kansenshi/Kalewa or Itawa. I have grownup here and seeing this change in just two years for me entails good leadership and committed workforce.
The attitude of the workers is so much different from the other government hospital personnel and one wonders whether they are our own or probably from heaven. You go there sick, just the way you are welcomed and clean environment makes you feel the first signs healing.
The Minister is working. What we see is a lot of pockets of resistance due to personalized systems where individuals have privatized certain services and subbotage government operations.
This is what is killing Zambia. Imagine individuals carrying medicines in bags to sell to desperate patients!
Big Pharma companies operate like Mafias! It’s very sophisticated type of organized crime!
When they find easily corruptible weak souls in high positions of Procurement and Pharmacists, they will do everything within their powers to capture the system!
We have a very corrupt Civil Service!
We have too many rich Civil Servants in these Ministries! Too many overaged people who don’t want to retire because of the lucrative deals their positions give them.
If anything, the Corruption fight should have started from the Civil Servants because they are the enablers of corruption!
The only way to stop corruption is to bring back the death penalty!
We are toying around too much with crimes against Zambians!
It’s criminal to play around with people’s lives! It’s mass murder to delay or disrupt delivery of life-saving supplies for our many people on the sick beds!
We really have too many criminals in the system who just don’t care!
Sadly, UPND cannot fight corruption!
They are the worst when it comes to corruption!
They started by removing the death penalty to protect themselves from the ultimate consequences of corruption!
They have refused to declare personal Assets from day one! How can you genuinely fight corruption with that mindset?
They are ready to tell lies to justify corruption!
You have really dwarfed the corruption of past Administrations!
You are one term only!
In China the penalty for corruption is death. As a result corruption cases are rare there. Come to Zambia corruption runs from the head to the toes. The so called fight against corruption is just a matter of scratching the surface.