Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia (MQHZ) has urged the Ministry of Health to adequately address challenges that continue to afflict the country’s health sector.
Organization Director General Dr. Quince Mwabu told Money FM News that government’s failure to complete construction of health posts across the country and the delay to give incentives to Covid 19 front line health workers made 2020 a sad year for the health sector.
Dr. Mwabu further noted that that 2020 has evidently been a very difficult year for the health sector because Medical Stores allegedly failed to consistently store and supply safe and efficient medicines for all citizens in public health facilities.
He said apart from the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the health system, the Country faced acute shortages of drugs, which affected health delivery.
Dr. Mwabu observed that the year also saw the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA) allegedly failing to regulate and control the manufacture, importation, sale and use of medicines and allied substances in the country.
“The failure by Government to complete construction of health posts across the country and total failure to give incentives to Covid 19 front line health workers made 2020 a sad year for the health sector.”
“Medical for Quality Healthcare in Zambia wishes to advise the Ministry of Health to refocus and make a lot of amends in order to overcome challenges that continue to afflict the health sector in Zambia,” Dr. Mwabu said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Mwabu alleged that National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) failed to effectively discharge its functions when citizens expected improved health insurance.
“When Zambians expected improved health insurance, National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) failed to effectively discharge its functions. The authority left thousands of its clients in huge disappointments.”