“A cartel of strategically positioned senior civil servants and power-broking ‘tenderpreneurs’ colluded to peddle falsified reports against me “- Chilufya
Former Minister of Health Dr Chitalu Chilufya has revealed that the infamous Honeybee Pharmacy expired drugs and defective condoms debacle was a scandal cooked up and peddled by a clique of throne seeking former ruling party politicians.
In an interview yesterday with Ichalo Today news, the Patriotic Front member of the Central Committee revealed that there was “a battle of thrones” that raged in the former ruling party, and a particular clique went into a sustained and systematic campaign of mudslinging and falsified reports. designed to eliminate perceived threats to the “throne”.
Dr Chilufya exposed the existence of a clique of politicians that worked in collusion with a cartel of strategically positioned senior civil servants and power-broking “tenderpreneurs” who engaged in lawfaring by misusing the government and judicial systems to eliminate individuals they considered political threats.
He says this ploy included a conspiracy to peddle falsified reports about the Ministry of Health (MOH)under his tenure importing and distributing expired medicines and defective condoms.
The senior member of the PF Health Committee outlined a litany of achievements and significant milestones that had been achieved under his tenure as Minister of health. Dr Chilufya cited the giant strides Zambia had attained in achieving Universal Health Coverage.
He said this included the construction of more than 500 Health Centres across the country as well as and 6 new specialist hospitals, in addition to the construction of regional medical hubs that have significantly reduced the last mile and brought medical supplies closer to far flung rural communities.
“In addition, to all this, we built the first ever medical university in the country (Levy Mwanawasa Medical University) and we recruited more than 30,000 health workers. The culmination of all these efforts saw a very significant improvement in Zambia’s key health Indicators which among other things included a significant reduction in Maternal and Neo-natal Mortality”.
Dr. Chilufya noted that contrary to public perception, MOH never procured expired drugs or defective condoms from Honeybee Pharmacy.
“Honeybee pharmacy are not owed USD 17million as infamously alleged, as they only supplied a third of the consignment. It should further be understood in the context that at the time this supply was delivered, the country was facing a drug stock out. It is also worth noting that to date, Honeybee has not been paid a single Ngwee.”
The Mansa Central lawmaker further highlighted stringent systems that are in place that prevent the importation and supply of substandard drugs and pharmaceuticals.
“Let me set the record straight. Pharmaceutical vigilance in Zambia’s Health Sector is highly alert and suitably configured to deter the procurement of medical supplies”. He added that it was an insult to the medical profession to insinuate that we would procure expired drugs and defective condoms. The medical doctor further emphasised that would go against medical ethics and the Hippocratic Oath he swore “to cause no harm”.
He urged politicians across the political divide to “depoliticise Health Matters” and called upon President Hakainde Hichilema’s new Dawn Government to institute an objective investigation into the controversy surrounding Honey bee pharmacy’s alleged supply of defective condoms and expired drugs.