NHIIMA’S LOSS OF K16M CRIMINAL
CIVIL SERVANTS AND ALLIED WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA (CSAWUZ)
PRESS STATEMENT BY MR. MAKAI MAKAI THE GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CIVIL SERVANTS AND ALLIED WORKERS UNION OF ZAMBIA
FRIDAY 7TH JANUARY, 2022
WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE ROLE OF THE PRESS IN A DEMOCRACY AND IN PARTICULAR, WE GREATLY APPRECIATE THE NEWS DIGGERS. THE NEWS DIGGERS IN THEIR TUESDAY 4TH JANUARY 2022 EDITION INFORMED THE NATION THAT IN THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT ON THE ACCOUNTS OF PARASTATAL BODIES FOR THE FINANCIAL YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020, IT WAS REVEALED THAT THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY (NHIMA) RECORDED WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE IN AMOUNTS TOTALING K16,369,812.
THE PAPER REPORTED THAT THE AUDITOR GENERAL’S REPORT REVEALED THAT NHIMA HAD BEEN IMPLEMENTING SYSTEMS AND OTHER INFORMATION COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT) SOLUTIONS WITHOUT CLEARLY IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS AND COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING ICT SERVICES, WHICH RESULTED IN THE NHIMA MOVING FROM ONE SYSTEM TO ANOTHER IN LESS THAN A YEAR. IT WAS REVEALED THAT IN OCTOBER 2019, NHIMA ENGAGED INFRATEL TO INSTALL AND IMPLEMENT AN INFORMATION SYSTEM THAT WAS USED FOR COLLECTION OF MEMBERSHIP COLLECTIONS. IN ADDITION, IN JUNE 2020, LESS THAN A YEAR AFTER USING THE INFRATEL SYSTEM, NHIMA MIGRATED FROM THE INFRATEL SYSTEM AFTER ENGAGING PROBASE LIMITED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE MANAGEMENT AUTHORITY MEMBERSHIP AND CONTRIBUTION PORTAL AT A CONTRACT SUM OF K16,369,812. FURTHERMORE, IN 2020 NHIMA ENGAGED INFRATEL TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SERVICES OF WHICH AMOUNTS TOTALING K515,059 WERE PAID.
WHAT IS SO ANNOYING TO US THE UNION IS THAT NHIMA FAILED TO CLEARLY OUTLINE ITS USER REQUIREMENT SPECIFICATIONS BASED ON NHIMA’S NEEDS AND ASSESSMENT OF SEVERAL AVAILABLE SOLUTIONS SO AS TO IDENTIFY THE COST-EFFECTIVE SOLUTION. ANNOYINGLY, NHIMA HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTING SYSTEMS AND OTHER ICT SOLUTIONS WITHOUT CLEARLY IDENTIFYING USER NEEDS AND COST-EFFECTIVE MEANS OF IMPLEMENTING ICT SERVICES. THIS RESULTED IN THE NHIMA MOVING FROM ONE SYSTEM TO ANOTHER IN LESS THAN A YEAR, IMPLEMENTING SYSTEMS ON TEMPORAL BASIS. AS A RESULT OF SUCH IRRATIONAL MANAGEMENT DECISIONS, NHIMA RECORDED WASTEFUL EXPENDITURE IN AMOUNTS TOTALING K16,369,812.
AS A UNION, WE ARE OFTEN FRUSTRATED BY NHIMA’S REQUIREMENT WHEN CONTRIBUTING MEMBERS NEED TO ACCESS THE SERVICE. YOU TAKE YOUR SICK SPOUSE TO THE HOSPITAL, NHIMA WANTS TO SEE THE MARRIAGE CERTIFICATE BEFORE ATTENDING TO THE PATIENT. YOU TAKE YOUR CHILD TO THE HOSPITAL NHIMA WANTS THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE BEFORE ATTENDING TO THE PATIENT. IN THE MEAN TIME THEY ARE USELESSLY SPENDING THE MONEY THAT COULD BE USED TO SAVE LIVES ON TEMPORAL ICT SYSTEMS. HONESTLY NHIMA MANAGEMENT IS NOT FAR AWAY FROM MURDERERS. THERE IS SERIOUS NEED FOR THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO CLOSELY LOOK INTO THIS MATTER. YOU MAY SOON LEAN THAT THOSE WHO WERE MAKING THESE WASTEFUL DECISIONS HAVE BUILT MANSIONS FROM THESE TEMPORAL BASIS SYSTEMS IMPLEMENTED AT NHIMA. AS A UNION WE ARE GREATLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE MANAGEMENT AT NHIMA. WHEN WE COMPLAIN THAT WE DON’T KNOW HOW SOME PEOPLE WERE EMPLOYED AT NHIMA BECAUSE WE NEVER SAW ANY ADVERTS ANYWHERE, YOU THINK WE JUST HATE SOME INDIVIDUAL. LOOK AT THE DECISION MAKING AT NHIMA. DO WE REALLY NEED SUCH MANAGEMENT AT NHIMA HONESTLY? WASTING THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF MEMBERS MEANT TO SERVE LIVES. HONESTLY, SOME PEOPLE JUST NEED TO LEAVE NHIMA.
THANK YOU!