Declare national state of emergency on lack of drugs
…says medical association chief Dr Roy Tolopu
By KBN TV reporter
24.12.22
A leading medic in Zambia Dr Roy Tolopu has urged the UPND government of President Hakainde Hichilema to immediately declare a national state of emergency regarding a critical shortage of drugs in all hospitals countrywide in an interview on KBN TV.
Dr Tolopu (MD) who heads the association of medicine in Zambia said once a state of emergency is declared, the government could use the opportunity to restock drugs countrywide that have completely dried out according to a parliamentary committee study commissioned by the Speaker of the House Nelly Mutti.
The respected medic said Zambia had run out of basic drugs in hospitals such as pain killers that must necessarily not run out including insulin causing so much distress for doctors countrywide who watch poor ordinary patients suffer without medical support, something the UPND government promised to curb during the campaigns ahead of elections in 2021.
A recent study commissioned by parliament has exposed glaring shortages of drugs in all Zambian hospitals that are now operating below 50 % of the internationally accepted standards of the WHO.
Dr Tolopu also expressed concern that the current government of Zambia has resorted to blaming Doctors and other medical staff of ´stealing´ drugs instead of arresting the scandalous drug shortages that is sometimes leading to death of patients.
What has shocked many Zambians though is the fact that instead of correcting the drug situation, the ruling UPND party legislators have chosen to spike the drug shortage study commissioned by themselves via the Speaker of the house.
The full interview with host Kennedy Mambwe is available on KBN TV.
