Maravi

Doctors oppose govt’s $53m deal

Doctors oppose govt’s $53m deal
Written by Chibaula Silwamba and Patson Chilemba
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 6:58:35 AM

THE Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has opposed the government's intention to purchase mobile hospitals at a cost of US $53 million (about K301 billion), describing it as a misplaced priority.

And international donors to the Ministry of Health on Monday gave the ministry up to midday yesterday to respond in writing explaining the government's position on the mobile hospitals and the accompanying US $53 million loan.

Meanwhile, opposition Patriotic Front (PF) president Michael Sata said Zambia does not need mobile hospitals.

Commenting on the Zambian government's intention to purchase nine mobile hospitals for all the nine provinces at a cost of US $53 million from China and plans to borrow the same money from EX-IM Bank of China, ZMA president Dr Swebby Macha said mobile hospitals were not a priority in Zambia.

“It came as a big surprise to us as an association because mobile hospitals are not a priority. The priority is actually to work on the existing infrastructure; we already have hospitals in our districts so those are the hospitals that we need to upgrade in terms of equipment, drugs and staff. The mobile hospitals are not a priority, according to us in the medical association,” said Dr Macha in an interview. “We feel that mobile hospitals are more suitable in areas where people are nomadic, where people move from one area to another which is not a case here in Zambia.”

Dr Macha said in Zambia hospitals and clinics were already there but required improvement.

“We have permanent structures and those hospitals have already been built in all the 72 districts of our country. What these hospitals need are equipment, drugs and manpower in terms of retention of manpower,” Dr Macha said. “So the mobile hospitals or vans are not a priority and to spend such a huge amount [US $ 53 million], I feel it's a misplaced priority.”

Dr Macha said health workers in Zambia had a raw deal for some time.

“I feel that the government should push in more money so that we can have the required manpower necessary to serve our people. As you are aware health workers are actually a corner stone of the health sector anywhere,” Dr Macha said. “I feel that the government, apart from improving infrastructure should retain the health workers.”

He wondered why the government would want to spend a lot of money on Chinese medical experts who would accompany the mobile hospitals when in fact Zambia had many medical experts.

“Again you can see that those are added costs whereby we have to pay the experts that accompany the equipment and then they will stay on for some training,” said Dr Macha. “I feel that Zambia has the expertise to handle any emergency in medical care. We already have the manpower in this country but all we need is to motivate them and retain them.”

And sources within the donor community yesterday confirmed that they had a meeting on Monday afternoon with Ministry of Health permanent secretary Dr Velepi Mtonga and other officials where they [donors] gave the ministry a one-day ultimatum to respond on the matter in writing.

“Yes, we had a meeting and this issue was brought up for discussion but we were not satisfied with the permanent secretary Dr Mtonga's explanation. So we asked the ministry to respond to us in writing and give us a copy of that letter by midday today [yesterday]. Depending on how the Ministry of Health will explain, we will make a decision on whether or not to continue with our co-operation and support to the ministry,” the source said.

Meanwhile, Sata said it was sad that President Rupiah Banda's government was every minute strategising on ways to plunder public coffers. He said corruption was the motivating factor behind government's entering into the deal. Sata said there was no need for mobile hospitals in Zambia because they were only necessary in war torn countries like Sudan's Darfur region. "The problem with this government of Rupiah Banda is every minute, they think of plunder. They are thinking of ways to loot public coffers, this government believes in shortcuts. It's leadership sangwapo of saying 'what am I going to benefit?'" Sata said. "This country doesn't need mobile hospitals. From that US $53 million they can complete Shang'ombo Hospital. But corruption is the motivating factor behind the deal. Whoever is negotiating, whether it's the new minister [Kapembwa Simbao] or the President, no minister has ever thought of mobile hospitals." Sata said it was surprising that some government officials were more pre-occupied with stealing instead of revamping the health sector, which was in tatters. He said PF would investigate the matter thoroughly and would push for President Banda's impeachment if he was found wanting. Sata said if health minister Simbao would be found wanting, PF would file a complaint before the Chief Justice to set up a tribunal to probe him. He asked the government to suspend its intentions of coming up with a mobile hospital for each of the nine provinces in the country. "We should be ashamed in Zambia that Mr Sata and Mr Chiluba could have died a long time ago if they did not receive treatment in South Africa, but today they are saying mobile hospitals. Even in [Vice-President] George Kunda's village, a mobile hospital won't work," Sata said. "Where are we going to get the health workers to work in those 'Kapembwa Simbao' hospitals? Doctors were supposed to go on strike on Friday but someone prevailed on them. They wanted improved conditions of service. There is a training programme at UTH [University Teaching Hospital], there are no teachers and that training will be stopped. Instead of putting money in that, Kapembwa Simbao wants to bring mobile hospitals." Some donors supporting the Ministry of Health have questioned the Zambian government's intention to come up with a mobile hospital for each of the nine provinces in the country to the tune of US$53 million.

According to sources within the donor community, the Zambian government is in the process of acquiring a US$53 million loan from EX-IM Bank of China to facilitate the acquisition of the mobile hospitals from a Chinese firm called China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC).

The source disclosed that donors held meetings last week in Lusaka to discuss this pending transaction between the Ministry of Health, on behalf of the Zambian government, and CATIC concerning the mobile hospitals.

According to sources, the donors have since written to the Ministry of Health, questioning and seeking clarification on the matter.

Labels: CORRUPTION, HEALTHCARE, SATA, ZMA

posted by MrK @ 6:00 AM