PF pledges to honour Abuja Declaration

PF pledges to honour Abuja Declaration
By Agness Changala and Bright Mukwasa
Sun 11 Sep. 2011, 13:59 CAT

THE PF says it will honour the Abuja Declaration by increasing the health budgetary allocation to at least 15 per cent when voted into office this month.

During the signing of a social contract pledging to prioritise equitable and improved access to health service, Professor Nkandu Luo, who represented PF president Michael Sata, said honouring the Abuja Declaration on health would ensure increased funding to the health sector.

Under the Abuja Declaration to which Zambia is a signatory, government commits to increase the health budget to at least 15 per cent in accordance with its commitments to the declaration, with greater transparency and accountability in planning and spending.

Prof Luo said building hospitals alone was not adequate, adding that the sector needed to be supported by well trained health personnel.

"We will ensure that conditions of service for health workers are improved so that they much the work they are putting in," she said.

Prof Luo said the PF would also revisit the health Act and ensure decentralisation in the health sector.

And Zambians for Empowerment (ZED) president Dr Fred Mutesa said Zambia should not continue to depend on donors to fund the health sector.

Dr Mutesa said the country's health sector could fall into a crisis if the donors decided to pull out.
He said his party would ensure increased budgetary allocation to the health sector and production of drugs within the country.

Dr Mutesa said it was disheartening to see the government pay lip service with regards to improving the health sector.

"When they government officials get sick, they are evacuated and we can't continue with this trend," Dr Mutesa said.

He also supported Prof Luo's calls to abolish user fees because they were denying many people access to health.

Dr Mtesa said his party would build a medical school in every province to boost the training of health personnel to address the current shortage health staff.

National Restoration Party (NAREP) representative Niza Sanderson said the health system deserved serious budgetary consideration as it was the cornerstone of human development.

The health election campaign was launched in August, 2011 at the National Youth Development Centre in Lusaka.