Maravi

Kalala urges Thandiwe to persuade Rupiah in resolving health crisis

Kalala urges Thandiwe to persuade Rupiah in resolving health crisis
By Patson Chilemba
Sun 11 Apr. 2010, 04:01 CAT

JACK Kalala yesterday asked first lady Thandiwe Banda to prevail upon President Rupiah Banda on the health crisis in the nation, particularly maternal health.

Commenting on FDD president Edith Nawakwi’s revelations of the crisis affecting the health sector where expectant women were being asked to carry buckets to the clinic to be used for the disposal of waste such as placentas, Kalala - who served as special assistant for policy, implementation and monitoring in late president Levy Mwanawasa’s administration - asked the government not to consider the matter political, but instead give it serious attention.

“Unless people tell me that she Nawakwi is going crazy, I am sure there is some truth in it, and it requires to be investigated and if found to be true, the situation needs to be corrected. We can’t be having such things in Zambia this time and age,” he said.

Kalala said he was shocked at the silence of women over the matter, saying Thandiwe should prevail over President Banda.

“Do we need to see the buckets for us to believe? We have got means to investigate and establish the truth, and if it’s happening, we take action, corrective action instead of just denying and refuting this and that,” Kalala said.

“And I would like to appeal to the first lady to prevail on the President to get people to investigate and report directly to him. Yes, to investigate quietly in the clinic, there are agencies, institutions that can do necessary investigations.”

Kalala said what was being written in the newspapers was read worldwide.

“And it’s an embarrassment for people to read in these newspapers that these things are happening here in Zambia at this time and age, and we can’t take action. Do we want a bucket to appear in the newspaper for us to take action, or are we finding a reason to arrest Nawakwi?” asked Kalala.

“So let’s please act. It is an embarrassing situation. And I am also appealing to other women in the country to support Nawakwi. They should not leave this fight for Nawakwi alone. It involves all of us.”

Nawakwi has in the recent past revealed the crisis in the health sector where expectant women were being asked to carry buckets to the hospital, while others were asked to carry Jik and chitenges because of the shortage of linen.

Labels: EDITH NAWAKWI, HEALTHCARE, JACK KALALA, THANDIWE BANDA

posted by MrK @ 7:39 PM