Maravi

Rupiah wants to woo rural vote with mobile hospitals - Kyambalesa

Rupiah wants to woo rural vote with mobile hospitals - Kyambalesa
By Kombe Chimpinde
Mon 16 May 2011, 11:00 CAT

THE US$53 million deal to procure mobile hospitals has all the characteristics of an attempt by President Rupiah Banda to use the facility as a campaign tool for the general elections, says Professor Henry Kyambalesa. And Prof Kyambalesa has noted that there is excess socio-economic decay obtaining under President Banda's leadership.

The US-based Zambian professor in development studies who had earlier described the Zambia-Chinese government mobile hospital deal as a gigantic policy blunder for the nation, in a statement said the move was purely designed to woo voters in rural areas by President Banda.

Prof Kyambalesa warned that President Banda was plunging the country into serious problems by procuring loans calculated at enhancing his political fortune.

“President Banda won't be there to personally make a contribution to the repayment of these loans.

How does one explain the prominence of single-source procurement by the President during the short period he has been in office if it is not to reap personal or political benefits from the deals involved?

What is the use of having a procurement authority and technocrats in government ministries whose function is merely the acquisition of machinery?” Prof Kyambalesa asked.

He said it was unacceptable that government business was being done at State House where decisions were approved without undertaking any needed assessment.

“There is a need for the Chinese government officials to guard against encouraging President Banda to borrow lavishly from their country's state companies to finance projects which are conceived without consultation with Parliament,” he advised.

“They will do well not to participate in such furtive schemes if they are interested in cementing the existing cordial relations between their country and the people of Zambia.”

Prof Kyambalesa said that giving President Banda another five years in government was what Zambians should avoid at all costs.

He urged President Banda to re-assign the mobile hospitals to Zambia National Service (ZNS) camps in the nine provinces after incorporating the functions of the Disaster Management and Mitigation Unit (DMMU) that is currently vested in the Office of the Vice-President.

“No doubt, the procurement of such temporary facilities is going to be the most conspicuous case of misapplication of resources by a Republican president thus far. It is a clear case of misplaced priorities!

Sooner or later, the President and/or members of his inner circle will be crossing national borders for medical treatment or check-ups after wasting the US$53 million on mobile hospitals,” he warned.

Prof Kyambalesa said there was no question that government’s decision to procure mobile hospitals was a gigantic blunder.

“Each mobile hospital, which consists of seven trucks will require more than 36 personnel per visit of two weeks in any given rural area, including medical doctors, nurses, clinicians, laboratory staff, surgeons, pharmacists, and support staff.”

He noted that all these expenditures were in addition to the US$53 million secured from the EX-IM Bank of China to purchase the nine mobile hospitals from the China National Aero Technology Import and Export Corporation, and which would need to be repaid over a period of 40 years.

“It is irresponsible, wasteful and unwise for President Banda," said Prof Kyambalesa.

Labels: HEALTHCARE, HENRY KYAMBALESA, MOBILE HOSPITALS, RUPIAH BANDA

posted by MrK @ 1:10 PM