JCTR questions international treatment budget allocation

JCTR questions international treatment budget allocation
Written by Fridah Zinyama
Wednesday, February 11, 2009 9:38:47 AM

THE Jesuit Centre for Theological Reflection (JCTR) has questioned the government’s persistent increase in the allocation for international specialised treatment as it does not benefit the majority of Zambians.

And JCTR debt, aid and trade coordinator Tina Moyo commended the government for the increase in budgetary allocation to two higher learning institutions in the country.

In a press statement yesterday, Moyo observed that in last year’s budget, the allocation was raised by K2 billion and an increase by a similar amount has been observed in the 2009 national budget from K6.2 billion to about K8.4 billion.

“Surprisingly, allocations to local specialised treatment of which the majority of Zambians are likely to benefit have remained meagre, from K1.2 billion in 2008 to K1.3 billion in 2009. The question then is what government’s priority for specialised treatment is. Is it only for the select few who can be flown to South Africa using tax payers’ money,” she asked.

Moyo urged the government to reallocate the K2 billion additional funds for International Specialised Treatment to the procurement of the desperately needed hospital equipment at the University Teaching Hospital and other major hospitals in the country.

“Many people’s lives would be served through improved Local Specialised Treatment than otherwise,” she stated. “The 2009 national budget should be a budget for Zambians and not one that serves a select few at the expense of the tax payers.”

And JCTR stated that allocations to the University of Zambia and Copperbelt University had been raised by K12 billion and K3 billion respectively.

Moyo stated that inadequate allocation to the two universities in the past few years had resulted in standoffs, and violent demonstrations by students from the two institutions.