MMD can’t guarantee sustainable health system, charges Katema

MMD can’t guarantee sustainable health system, charges Katema
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 24 June 2011, 09:10 CAT

THE MMD cannot guarantee a sustainable health system because it cares less about the needs of the majority poor, says a PF member of parliament. In an interview on Tuesday, Chingola member of parliament Dr Joseph Katema said Zambians would only begin enjoying the benefits of having a quality healthcare system if the ruling MMD was voted out of government.

He said people should not expect to see meaningful development in the health system because the government concentrated much on political rhetoric than attending to the issues people were crying for.

Dr Katema said Zambians should sustain their resolve to change government on the basis that the country was far behind in most aspects.

“People have enjoyed quality healthcare before and they know what it means. The health system has deteriorated under the MMD and the few developments through the construction of health centres and purchase of mobile hospitals are misplaced priorities.

We are seeing these things because the MMD is panicking and they want to impress in an election year but it’s too late,” he said.

Dr Katema said it was undisputable that Zambia’s disease burden, which was compounded by high poverty levels remained very high and there was need for serious political will to mitigate the impact among the majority poor.

He said it was sad that despite people calling on the government to focus on providing equipment, drugs and the retention and recruitment of more health personnel, the government instead purchased mobile hospitals and embarked on construction projects they would not sustain.

Dr Katema said Zambians who wanted real development must support the ideas of the PF on the health sector because its manifesto was categorically clear on how it would attend to the needs of the people once voted into government.

“We have an obligation to protect the future of the country and that of our children by promoting pragmatic ideas that would enhance development.

It is the responsibility of everyone to take care of the country by reflecting on the performance of the MMD especially when it comes to the healthcare that had been marred in corruption and making positive decisions to change the situation in the country,” said Dr Katema.