Maravi

Govt is defensive over problems in health sector – NGOCC

COMMENT - At the core of all of this is lack of money, and the unwillingness to tax the mines for over a billion dollars. The problem is that the government would rather make the Zambian people pay (through borrowing, which shows up as inflation and higher prices in the stores) than have their personal 'donors' in the mining industry pay. And that is the biggest form of corruption of all. And I want to know that the opposition parties are different. I want to know that they will tax the mines to the max.

Govt is defensive over problems in health sector – NGOCC
By Masuzyo Chakwe and Chibaula Silwamba
Sun 21 Mar. 2010, 03:40 CAT

NON Governmental Organisations Coordinating Council (NGOCC) executive director Engwase Mwale yesterday said it is very worrying that the government is being defensive rather than dealing with the problems in the health sector.

And Forum for Democracy and Development (FDD) leader Edith Nawakwi has charged that President Rupiah Banda and Lieutenant General Ronnie Shikapwasha are enemies of women and have reduced maternal and child health to village midwifery.

In an interview, Mwale said it was common knowledge that the health sector was in dire need of attention especially when it comes to the plight of women.

She said it was disappointing that mothers were going to clinics and hospitals with all essentials that were needed during childbirth in this age and time.

“Mothers are carrying buckets and gloves for something that is supposed to be done with dignity,” she said.

Mwale said recent revelations that mothers had to dispose off their placentas were very disturbing but what was more worrying was the government's rush to vilify the situation when reported in the media.

She said it was clear that there were no monitoring systems in the country to see whether health facilities were working in order.

Mwale said Chipata Clinic had negative reports in the recent past and the government should look into the problem rather than being defensive.

“There was a case where a woman was turned away at night and another pregnant woman was sent to Chunga hospital because there was no power and no one to attend to her. These are some of the situations that the government should be dealing with rather than being defensive so that the health sector is given the due attention,” Mwale said.

And responding to chief government spokesperson Lt Gen Shikapwasha's statement in which he dismissed her concern that expectant women were being asked to go with buckets at Chipata clinic and other health institutions in Lusaka which they would use to carry placentas and other waste after delivery to go and dispose off because the clinic did not have the incinerator and that University Teaching Hospital (UTH) was in a deplorable state, Nawakwi said she was shocked to learn that it was government policy that expectant mothers must carry buckets when going for delivery at clinics.

“I am shocked to learn that in fact it is government policy to carry buckets when women go for delivery. Shikapwasha and Rupiah want to reduce maternal and child health to village midwifery. Even at village level, people are not asked to provide those facilities when they are delivering,” Nawakwi said. “Now, the year 2010, the year of the Lord, the government wants to reduce maternal and child health to village service and Shikapwasha in all intent and purpose is an enemy of the women and an enemy of development. That is why sometimes it's important to listen. Rupiah Banda is an enemy of women.”

She advised President Banda against ignoring her advice on problems in health institutions.

“However, Rupiah is quite comfortable in his cocoon that these ministers around him have eyes to see. Rupiah is blind to the fact that the likes of Shikapwasha other than their personal and economic survival, they have no interest of the people at heart,” Nawakwi said.

“What is so impossible for the President to listen to my simple request that we meet at UTH Filter Clinic for him to see the deplorable situation? UTH is nearer to his house than it is to go to the airport. I am glad that Shikapwasha in one breath is agreeing that the incinerator at Chipata clinic was out of service.”

She said Lt Gen Shikapwasha failed to explain where the waste was being incinerated from during the time the incinerator at Chipata Clinic was done.

Nawakwi said she received a lot of calls from various parts of Zambia including Livingstone where women were agreeing with her position that women were being asked to carry buckets when going to give birth at clinics.

She said other than the buckets, women were being asked to carry two plastic bags.
She contended that the plastics were used to carry waste before putting it in the buckets.

She warned that if the government did not address the problems affecting expectant women, she would organise them to go and dump placentas at State House.

Nawakwi said if indeed the health facilities were as good as Lt Gen Shikapwasha portrayed them, the government could not have evacuated energy minister Kenneth Konga and MMD national secretary Katele Kalumba to India for medical treatment.

“I am challenging them to take me to court if I am lying about the bad condition in hospitals,” said Nawakwi.

In his media statement, Lt Gen Shikapwasha described Nawakwi's concerns as “wild allegations” and “cheap politicking.”

“For UTH in particular, the truth of the matter is that the institution is now rated as one of the best in the region in terms of equipment and medical expertise, a result of government's continued investment in the country's highest health institution,” he stated. “It is true that pregnant women are advised to go with buckets not only at Chipata clinic but at most health facilities in the city. This is not for disposing off their placenta but it is an infection prevention measure which the mothers well appreciate.”

Lt Gen Shikapwasha stated that the government had just purchased an incinerator at a cost of K4.7 million to be installed at Chipata Clinic and would soon be operational.

“The truth of the matter is that no mother disposes off the placenta themselves,” said Lt Gen Shikapwasha.

Nawakwi had challenged President Banda to accompany her to Chipata Clinic and UTH Filter Clinic so that he could go and see the deplorable situation there.

And on British High Commissioner to Zambia Carolyn Davidson's statement that there would be consequences for the assistance provided by cooperating partners if evidence suggested that the government was not committed to fighting corruption, Mwale said the fight against corruption required commitment and concerted efforts.

She said there were a lot of resources that slipped through a few hands and the government must not pay lip service to the fight.

Mwale said of late there had been selective prosecution of cases of corruption which should not be the case.

Mwale said repercussions of corruption in the health sector were fatal because the people that ended up being affected the most were women and children.

Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, ENGWASE MWALE, NGOCC, WOMEN

posted by MrK @ 11:48 AM