WHY SHOULD AN ORGANIZATION CAUSING DAILY EMBARRASSMENT TO THE PRESIDENT LOOSELY MANAGED: WHY ZAMBIA NEEDS A DEDICATED PERMANENT SECRETARY FOR PHARMACEUTICAL SERVICES AND DRUG MANUFACTURING
By Dr. Larry Mweetwa- Pharmaceutical Consultant
Yes am in government and I don’t want someone to come in my inbox and tell me that you should have quietly said this I have advised past Ministers of Health and permanent secretaries now allow me
To vent because I love my President and I love my party UPND.
We Cannot Continue Embarrassing the President Over Problems We Have the Power to Fix
There comes a time when loyalty to the President, Government and the ruling party must be demonstrated through honesty rather than silence. Year after year, the Ministry of Health has faced recurring controversies surrounding the procurement, storage, distribution and management of essential medicines, particularly at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA). These challenges have repeatedly exposed Government to public criticism and undermined confidence in healthcare delivery. If we are genuinely committed to helping the President succeed, we must be courageous enough to call a spade a spade, even when the truth makes certain individuals uncomfortable. Defending institutional weaknesses in the name of political loyalty does not protect the President; it exposes his administration to avoidable embarrassment.
One of the greatest contradictions within the Ministry of Health is the apparent mismatch between the strategic importance of pharmaceutical services and their representation in the Ministry’s senior management structure. The Ministry has dedicated directorates for functions such as information and communication technology, yet pharmaceutical services, which oversee medicines representing a substantial share of healthcare expenditure, deserve stronger executive representation.
How can a sector responsible for medicines procurement, pharmaceutical regulation, supply-chain management and public health security operate without a fully empowered Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services? This is not to diminish the importance of other directorates, but to recognise that Government structures must reflect the magnitude of public expenditure, technical complexity and risks associated with institutional failure.
The recurring governance challenges at ZAMSA require more than changing Directors-General whenever controversies arise. There are serious concerns about alleged political interference, including individuals reportedly invoking the names of senior political figures, party structures or State House to influence procurement decisions. Such allegations require independent investigation, and any proven misconduct must attract consequences. No political cadre, official or businessperson should be permitted to manipulate pharmaceutical procurement by claiming to have been sent by the party secretariat or someone close to the Presidency. Equally concerning is the risk that frequent changes in ZAMSA leadership may be driven by political loyalty rather than institutional performance, potentially undermining the lawful authority of the Board. Public procurement must be governed by law, professional competence, transparency and value for money—not political connections.
It is against this background that Zambia urgently needs a dedicated Permanent Secretary for Pharmaceutical Services and Drug Manufacturing, supported by a fully established Directorate of Pharmaceutical Services. Such an office would provide specialised executive leadership in pharmaceutical policy, medicines security, procurement oversight, supply-chain performance and industrial development, while respecting the statutory responsibilities of ZAMSA, ZAMRA and other institutions.
Pharmaceutical services are too technically complex and financially significant to be treated merely as a subordinate administrative function. A dedicated Permanent Secretary, appointed on merit and supported by competent pharmaceutical professionals, would establish clear responsibility for implementing reforms and monitoring institutional performance.
Beyond addressing procurement controversies, the proposed Permanent Secretary would champion the President’s vision of establishing a strong domestic pharmaceutical manufacturing industry. Zambia cannot continue depending heavily on imported essential medicines while possessing the potential to develop local manufacturing capacity, create skilled employment and promote technology transfer.
Pharmaceutical manufacturing should become a flagship national industrialisation programme, supported by strategic investments, international partnerships, regulatory strengthening and appropriate incentives. Local production of essential medicines would improve medicine security, reduce exposure to foreign supply disruptions, conserve foreign exchange where economically viable and position Zambia as a competitive pharmaceutical manufacturing hub within the region. We must move from being predominantly consumers of imported medicines to becoming manufacturers of the medicines our people need.
We must also confront the uncomfortable reality that political interference and misplaced loyalty can weaken public institutions. The frequent replacement of institutional leaders, particularly where appointments or removals are influenced by personal allegiance, threatens continuity, professionalism and accountability. A ZAMSA Director-General should be accountable to the law, the governing Board and clearly established performance targets, not to individuals seeking influence over procurement decisions. The President cannot personally supervise every tender, warehouse, supplier or medicine distribution programme. That is why Government establishes professional institutions and appoints responsible officers. True loyalty to the President means protecting his development agenda from incompetence, corruption, political interference and institutional failure.
The political consequences of repeated pharmaceutical controversies cannot be underestimated. Whenever essential medicines are unavailable, procurement irregularities are alleged or public resources are mismanaged, citizens hold the Government accountable. They rarely distinguish between failures at ZAMSA and the broader leadership of the Ministry of Health. Consequently, every avoidable controversy risks undermining the President’s healthcare achievements and public confidence in his administration. If we are serious about protecting the President’s legacy, we must stop responding to recurring problems with temporary administrative changes and instead address the structural weaknesses that allow them to persist. Establishing a dedicated Permanent Secretary would be a meaningful step, provided the office has clear responsibilities, measurable performance targets and effective accountability mechanisms.
The time has come for courageous institutional reform. Zambia needs a fully empowered pharmaceutical services directorate, dedicated Permanent Secretary-level leadership, stronger protection of ZAMSA’s statutory governance arrangements and a coordinated national pharmaceutical manufacturing strategy. We cannot continue repeating the same mistakes and expect different results.
Those of us committed to the success of the President and Government must understand that honesty is not disloyalty, and constructive criticism is not opposition.
Sometimes the greatest contribution we can make is to identify what is failing and recommend how it can be corrected. The President deserves institutions that deliver results, not institutions that repeatedly embarrass his administration. Let us be courageous enough to speak the truth, reform our systems and put the interests of Zambia above political convenience.