By Chileshe Mwango
Human Rights defender Ng’ande Mwananjiti has advised government to urgently consider constituting a commission of inquiry into the supply of medical drugs to the ministry of health by honeybee pharmaceuticals.
Mr. Mwananjiti observes with concern that government is relying on accomplice data of conflict of interest that has been created by people that should have brought the matter in the open at its onset and that this data is generally toxic and highly problematic.
He says there is need to speedily resolve the matter so that public confidence can be restored.
The honeybee scandal has once again erupted after the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies (ZAMMSA) dispatched some honeybee drugs to Kabwe and Kasama general hospitals with Agency Director Chipopa Kahuna saying the drugs were erroneously distributed to the said medical facilities.
Meanwhile, the Zambia Medical Association-ZMA- is dismayed and exceedingly appalled by revelations that ZAMMSA erroneously distributed drugs to two facilities that are under quality control (QC) and should not have been distributed by their own admission.
In a statement, ZMA Secretary General Kaumba Tolopu says while the association comprehend that errors in the supply chain management of pharmaceutics are bound to occur, with an effective early detection and intervention system being key to safeguarding public health, it is of the view that following the health center kit saga which is in the public domain, ZAMMSA should have been extra cautious in dispatching any medical products related to the same vendor.
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