JOIN DRIVERN TAXI AS PARTNER DRIVER TODAY!
Government says it will not condone health workers pilfering drugs meant for the sick in all its health institutions.
Health Deputy Minister, Patrick Chikusu says pilfering of drugs and medical essentials from health institutions was negating the effective delivery of health services to the public in many parts of the country.
Dr. Chikusu said government was spending huge sums of money to ensure improved health delivery system in the country saying it will not suffice for medical staff to reverse government’s progress in improving the lives of the people.
The Deputy Minister said this when he paid a courtesy call on Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner Beatrice Sikazwe on his tour of the district to monitor the health service delivery system in the area.
Dr. Chikusu threatened to dismiss health workers that were not abiding by their professional ethics and neglecting their duty of taking care of the sick.
He urged health workers to dress appropriately and ensure confidentiality.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chikusu has said that lack of funding is not an excuse for underperformance in the health sector because the PF government has prioritized and increased funding to the sector.
He said the government released over K3. 8 Billion (K3, 8 million rebased) out of the budgeted K4 Billion to Kapiri Mposhi district alone for health service delivery.
“Funding should not be an excuse for underperformance in the health sector, because the PF government has ensured that funds are released as budgeted to carry out the various functions in the sector,” Dr. Chikusu said.
Dr. Chikusu threatened to dismiss health workers that were not abiding by their professional ethics and neglecting their duty of taking care of the sick. He urged health workers to ensure confidentiality.
And Dr. Chikusu has assured the public that government health institutions will no longer experience shortages of drugs and medical essentials.
Dr. Chikusu said the government has been able to sufficiently fund the Medical Stores of Zambia to ensure that drugs were adequately and promptly supplied to all the districts in the country to avert shortages.
“This time around we should not have situations were health institutions run out of drugs … medical stores should have no excuses because this government has adequately provided enough money to them to supply drugs at appropriate times and in right amounts,” Dr. Chikusu said.
And Kapiri Mposhi District Commissioner, Beatrice Sikazwe appealed to the Ministry of Health to deploy more health workers to the area.
Ms. Sikazwe said the district was experiencing shortages of health workers at the newly commissioned District Hospital and Health Centers dotted around the area.
The District Hospital has only three instead of six Doctors.
