Maravi

Simbao condemns donors aid suspension to MoH

Simbao condemns donors aid suspension to MoH
Written by Masuzyo Chakwe
Thursday, July 09, 2009 5:15:19 PM

HEALTH minister Kapembwa Simbao has said it is not right for donors that have suspended aid to the Ministry of Health to punish ordinary Zambians at the expense of a few unscrupulous people.

Simbao said on Thursday that this problem could explode not only on the government but the country as a whole.

"It is not right first of all, we are dealing with people's lives here and you know like you promising me to give me a meal everyday and because I make a mistake you throw your meal when you know I have nowhere else to eat from. It can kill me and basically this is what it is doing," he said "The people who have decided to withhold their money if they don't know, this problem can explode and not just on government but on the country as whole because people must know that in reality it is not government that stole the money, its some unscrupulous people who by their own and selfish means decided to deprive not just government but the people of Zambia this very important money."

He said the government was equally concerned and in problems.
"And now they are being punished twice, it is not right. This has brought a lot of untold suffering, we are failing to meet our responsibility, you know like a parent failing to take care of the children, it is very shameful, that's the situation but the reason is that we knew the money will come, we never thought after somebody promising then one day they say they can't give it to us, I don't think that is right," he said.

Simbao said it would have been important if the donors had said they would not give the money next year.

"Then we will know, that look there is no money to expect and this and this must be stopped but not when you had planned for everything, planning taking into account their promises and then they withdraw their promises, its not right. I think once the people know where they come from, once the people know what they have done to the Zambian people and I don't think this will be accepted," he said.

Swedish Ambassador to Zambia Marie Andersonn de Frutos on Wednesday said it was alarming and worrisome that evidence to conduct forensic auditing had gone missing at the Ministry of Health.

Sweden, through Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), and the Netherlands recently suspended aid to the Ministry of Health following revelations of corruption. The two countries said the abuse of taxpayers' money was unacceptable and that they would withhold funds until the Auditor General concludes the forensic audit on Ministry of Health.

And Simbao said he could not comment on calls for government to rescind the decision not to pay nurses their June salaries because he was not the one who pays salaries.

Meanwhile, during a public sector condom promotion workshop, Simbao said myths and misconceptions about condoms in the country continue to hinder the effective use of condoms.

He said a large body of research over the past decade had shown that the main stream utilization of condoms remains an effective and cost effective for family planning.

Simbao said it was worth noting that studies in Zambia and in other parts of the work indicated that the availability and access to condoms continued to hinder their operational value.

He said it was against this background that the Zambian government working with its partners early this year initiated the condomz project, which was aimed at making generic condoms available and accessible to all communities Simbao said to this end, the government was also piloting another project working with the John Snow International and the Medical Stores Limited that was aimed at ensuring that essential drugs including condoms were supplied as per demand in 16 districts throughout the country.

He said the project would continue to engage community stakeholders with the aim of broadening awareness and knowledge levels to dispel the myths and misconceptions on condoms.

And UNFPA country representative Duah Owusu-Sarfo said despite widespread knowledge of source of condoms, condom use in Zambia was relatively low.

He said given the scenario, intensifying HIV prevention efforts should be a top priority for Zambia with a special focus on young people, women and sex work.

Society for Family Health chief operations officer Luka Sakwimba said research findings showed that condoms were not readily available in most rural areas and that there was a low risk perception among participants with regards to contracting HIV.

Labels: DONORS, KAPEMBWA SIMBAO, MINISTRY OF HEALTH

posted by MrK @ 4:17 PM