BLOOD IS ON YOUR HANDS FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE MEDICINES! – Dr Chitalu Chilufya
…As preventable maternal, child and adult deaths rise due to persistent drug shortages
LUSAKA—-Saturday , October 26th, 2022
Government has allocated K17.4 Billion towards the Ministry of Health in the 2022- 2023 National Budget.
And Government has allocated 3.4 billion towards the purchase of essential medicine and medical supply to be delivered next year , according to health Minister Silvia Masebo.
But former Minister of Health Hon. Dr. Chitalu Chilufya has expressed worry that despite the increase in budgetory allocation towards the health sector, there continues to be a serious breakdown in the drugs supply chain countrywide .
Media reports suggest that people have continued dying while others are given prescriptions to buy their own medicine due to non availability in hospitals.
“We will not recover the lives that are being lost because of the procastination in procurement .” Dr. Chilufya told parliament on Friday .
He predicated that next year (2023) will be more catastrophic and many pregnant women could die if the supply challenge was not addressed.
“How many women should die because of preventable pregnancy related conditions? How many adults should succumb to hypertension before government embarks on emergency measures?” He added.
He said the past regime had made significant strides in the health sector adding that all that could crumble if health security systems were not enhanced.
“The rate at which government is going by 2023 all the gains made in the health sector may be reversed.
We will see maternal deaths , we will see morbidity and mortality from malaria and we will see a deterioration in TB and HIV indicators .” He lamented .
He has since urged government to face a honest review of the health sector and make improvements.
“All members of Parliament here agree with me that where they are coming from there are no drugs and people are dying everyday, that’s blood on our hands . We must hold hands and ensure that we improve the health sector, buy drugs and ensure that we are back on track.” He said.