HIV+ pregnant women to receive full ART
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
Thu 30 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT
COMMENT - This is a crime. Foetuses aren't supposed to develop while swimming in ARV's, which are failed chemotherapy pills, found too toxic in fighting cancer. When HIV diagnosis is based on a single positive ELISA P24 test, that's a crime. - MrK
THE government plans to introduce Option B+ in preventing mother to child transmission, which will entail placing pregnant women found to have HIV on full antiretroviral treatment regardless of their CD4 count.
In an interview, Dr Kebby Musokotwane, who is Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission of HIV (PMCT) specialist at the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child Health, said Option B+, to be initiated as a pilot project, would enable pregnant women with HIV to suppress the virus by accessing full treatment.
"We are rolling out Option B+, which will be piloted in some sites before we fully role it out. Option B+ entails a pregnant woman found to have HIV being placed on full antiretroviral treatment regardless of one's CD4 count as opposed to being offered a short course," Dr Musokotwane explained.
He said this would also help health workers in attending to clients placed on treatment as the current system entails one being placed on a short course and later on being placed on another course on the return visit.
Dr Musokotwane said the pilot sites were yet to be selected although site identification had been done.
Labels: FRAUD, HEALTHCARE, HIV/AIDS, SEBBY MUSOKOTWANE
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Pneumonia among top five causes of admission at UTH
By Masuzyo Chakwe
Thu 09 Jan. 2014, 14:00 CAT
Pneumonia is among the top five reasons for admission at UTH, says hospital head of renal unit Dr Aggrey Mweemba. Dr Mweemba said pneumonia was common among individuals with reduced immunity.
"Alcoholism, smoking, chronic kidney disease, chronic liver disease, chronic lung disease, the very young and old, and unconscious individuals have increased risk of pneumonia," he said.
Dr Mweemba, who is also Ministry of Health focal person for Kidney diseases explained that pneumonia was an infection or inflammation of the lung. He said the infection could involve part of a lung, the whole of it or both lungs.
Dr Mweemba said the causes of pneumonia included bacteria, viruses, fungi, autoimmune diseases (diseases where one's immune system fights its own lungs) and chemicals or drugs.
He said pneumonia was divided into three groups which are community-acquired or hospital-acquired pneumonia and pneumonia in the immune-compromised (individuals with reduced immunity).
"Community acquired pneumonia is a pneumonia that is picked up from the community where an individual lives. This is usually caused by a bacterium called Streptococcus pneumoniae. Several other bacteria can cause pneumonia. The type of bacteria causing pneumonia in an individual is dependent on the age of the patient, pregnancy and immune status," Dr Mweemba said.
He said bacterial pneumonia was usually severe and of sudden onset.
Dr Mweemba explained that hospital acquired pneumonia was picked up in a hospital setting when an individual had been admitted for a different medical condition.
He said this form of pneumonia was caused by bacterial infections different from the ones that cause community acquired pneumonia.
"These bugs cause a severe form of disease and commonly require more powerful antibiotics to treat as they may not respond to ordinary antibiotics. Pneumonia in the immune-compromised, is pneumonia that develops in individuals with low immunity," Dr Mweemba said.
"Individuals with low immunity include; organ transplants, untreated HIV infected persons, poorly controlled diabetics, cancer patients, and individuals on medications that reduce immune function."
He said in such individuals, harmless bugs such as viruses and fungi that usually do not cause disease in healthy people could cause severe illness.
Dr Mweemba said tuberculosis was another very important and common cause of pneumonia in the immune-compromised. He said healthy individuals could also get infected with tuberculosis although to a lesser degree than the immune-compromised.
Dr Mweemba said the common symptoms of pneumonia were sudden onset of a productive cough, fever, rigors, sharp and pricking chest pain (which is worse when one attempts to breathe) and shortness of breath.
"Fever and rigors can easily be confused with malaria, urinary tract infection, meningitis and any other severe infection. Joint pains, abdominal pains, yellowing of eyes and diarrhoea may be common with specific causes of pneumonia. Irritability, breathing faster than usual, fever and lack of feeding maybe the only symptoms in babies," he said.
Dr Mweemba said bacterial and viral pneumonia were of sudden onset whereas fungal and tuberculous pneumonia had an insidious onset.
He said bacterial pneumonia was usually severe and life-threatening whereas viral and fungi pneumonia were mild and self-limiting in healthy individuals, but fatal in those with low immunity.
Dr Mweemba said vaccinations could prevent some forms of bacterial and viral pneumonia.
"A number of these vaccines are part of the under five vaccinations provided to babies by most health centres and hospitals in Zambia. Adults can also seek vaccinations to prevent or reduce the severity of pneumonia," he said.
Dr Mweemba said other measures to reduce the risk of pneumonia include treating underlying illnesses such as HIV and diabetes, smoking cessation, hand washing and wearing of masks by the sick.
He said some special medicines could be given to risky populations to prevent these forms of pneumonia.
"Avoiding overcrowding and provision of well ventilated housing can prevent tuberculous pneumonia," said Dr Mweemba.
Labels: AGGREY MWEEMBA, HEALTHCARE, PNEUMONIA
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Govt is looking into nurses' plight - Sata
By Allan Mulenga
Tue 03 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata says he is happy that the nurses have called off their strike, adding that the government is looking into their plight.
President Sata yesterday wondered why MMD president Nevers Mumba was talking about the nurses' strike when he had failed to preside over his party.
"Go and ask him why he is commenting on nurses' strike when these people have gone back to work. He has failed to take care of his hair, how can he keep his people?" he said.
President Sata said it was good that the nurses had heeded his call to go back to work, so that negotiations with the government could commence.
"I asked them to go back to work and they have done that. The government is looking into their plight," said President Sata.
On Sunday, Mumba advised President Sata against using "a strong hand" in dealing with the nurses who were striking.
Mumba disclosed that he had written President Sata on the issue surrounding nurses' strike action.
"I have done a letter in which I have asked the President to be able to consider dialogue to the level where our public sector workers could feel confident that government is committed to resolving their issues. That statement in Mansa was unfortunate," he said.
"We will not take it kindly if the government attempts to fire these public workers that are aggrieved in the same manner that the government did not take kindly to KCM trying to offload those thousands of workers. It will be unfortunate for government to take that route, because there is room for negotiation. They are negotiating for the things promised to them. I think government should listen," said Mumba.
President Sata on Saturday warned nurses to resume work before the government could strike.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, MICHAEL SATA, NURSES
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Zambia records 58% fall in new HIV infections
By Fridah Nkonde
Tue 03 Dec. 2013, 14:00 CAT
LOCAL government minister Emerine Kabanshi says the task of getting to zero new HIV infections, zero deaths, zero stigma and discrimination is daunting but achievable. And Kabanshi says Zambia is on the right track to reducing new HIV infections to zero.
During commemoration of the World AIDS Day 2013 under the theme 'Getting to zero in Zambia; zero new infections, zero AIDS deaths, zero stigma and discrimination,' in Lusaka on Sunday, Kabanshi said there was a national drop of 58 per cent in new infections.
"It will be interesting to see from the Zambia Demographic Health Survey how Lusaka district is fairing in reducing new infections to zero. There are, however, encouraging indications that with the 58 per cent decline in new infections countrywide, the HIV and AIDS prevalence may be averaging between 12 and 13 per cent," Kabanshi said.
She said there had also been an encouraging 56 per cent reduction in AIDS-related deaths since 2001 and a further 95 per cent reduction in the number of new HIV infections among children owing to the Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme roll-out for pregnant mothers.
Kabanshi said the development was commendable and provided hope that with more concerted efforts, Zambia was on the right track towards reducing new HIV infections to zero.
"I am delighted to learn that Lusaka district has conducted an estimated 69,100 Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision as of August 31, 2013. This number represents 13 per cent of the estimated 531,323 national total of male circumcision undertaken as of August this year. This is commendable because medical male circumcision is said to have the potential of reducing HIV transmission by as much as 60 per cent," she said.
Kabanshi said the report from the Lusaka district community medical office showed that 98 per cent eligible persons living with HIV and AIDS had been successfully put on antiretroviral therapy.
She urged Zambians not to be complacent with the achievements made so far, adding that prevention of new infections was key to achieving the vision of having a friendly, green, healthy and prosperous city of Lusaka, free from the threat of HIV and AIDS.
Kabanshi said there was need to ensure that most vulnerable members of society such as young people, women, and girls are equipped with skills and knowledge that could help them abandon risky behaviours.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, HIV/AIDS
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Nurses' dismissal final - Shamenda
By Kombe Chimpinde-Mataka
Fri 06 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
LABOUR minister Fackson Shamenda says the UPND is inciting dismissed nurses to take action against the government.
But UPND spokesperson Charles Kakoma says the party is concerned with the manner in which the government is running the health sector. And Shamenda says ZCTU secretary general Roy Mwaba risks being arrested if he continues to incite nurses.
Reacting to the UPND's decision to mount a legal battle in defence of dismissed striking workers countrywide, Shamenda described as inhuman the opposition party's lack of regard for what patients went through when nurses were on an illegal strike.
Shamenda said the decision to dismiss the nurses was final and the government would not reverse it.
"This confirms the suspicions that people had that the strike could have been politically motivated because in the first instance, the people who should be sympathisers of the patients that were in hospital, they were going there and encouraging the nurses to continue being on strike in October when they staged the first strike action and saying 'they have got a good case' and wishing them well. That is tantamount to inciting them," Shamenda said.
He said that UPND must understand that the government had grounds on which nurses were fired, which were clearly backed b the law.
"If anything, once those nurses get a court injunction, chances of even the employer re-employing them may stop. The way the law is at the moment is such that you can't force an employer to reinstate anyone if they dismiss them, each side has got a right to terminate the contract. So they are jeopardising the chances of the nurses," he warned.
"We fired nurses because they did not follow the normal channels because they broke the law. Comparing the KCM or Shoprite case to this particular one is like comparing oranges to sausages. Nurses are essential workers, you can't trivialise these issues. People must understand the gravity of the action which was taken by the nurses."
Shamenda said that by law, it was an offence for anyone classified as an essential worker to go on strike even for a minute.
He said the government had in fact used its discretion to tolerate the strike action for as long as 10 days.
"It's like someone who is driving, and you find there is accident and you refuse to do anything; it is criminal," Shamenda said.
"Last year, the nurses got the highest adjustments of salary increment. It is unprecedented in the history of the country. We never had such an adjustment and we said we would work with unions to ensure the adjustments are implemented."
And Shamenda said he took great exception to remarks by ZCTU Mwaba that the action taken by the government would culminate into a crisis.
"I take serious exception to the statement by ZCTU and the Zambia Medical Association particularly. ZCTU and the Medical Association should have been the first ones to condemn the strike action by nurses," he said.
"I am disappointed with Roy Mwaba, who I am hoping was misquoted, because I think he is politicking. That is a very serious statement. In normal circumstances, he needs to be arrested because what he is saying can lead to the country becoming ungovernable. Where was he when the nurses went on strike in October when politicians were inciting them? 10 days down the line, when the nurses were on strike, ZCTU did not say anything."
"It is a very irresponsible statement by a seasoned trade unionist. He is supposed to condemn the action by nurses instead of insulting government, and no one is going to challenge government. He thinks he can direct government to reinstate nurses at a press conference? That is an insult! Majority of workers in Zambia, if not all, are condemning the strike action by nurses. He should not start daring government."
And Dr Katele Kalumba says the government must delink the health profession from labour unions.
Dr Kalumba says health workers should not use the mechanism that all other category of workers are currently using because of the sensitivity of their work.
"Surely, there must be a different mechanism that can be used in dealing with or having discussions relating to the conditions of service of health workers. I am making a public policy issue here, that can we create a track, away from the public service unionism that is used for negotiating conditions of service for health workers," he said.
"Can we use something similar to what we use when we are dealing with the security and defence force. I hope responsible and rational human beings can see this point and take it up."
Dr Kalumba described the strike action by nurses and the sacking of nurses as sad.
"It's sad news to hear what has happened. It's also outrageously sad that responsible unions can allow a situation to deteriorate to a level where nurses go on a strike and are fired, a situation that is endangering people's lives because they (unions) control health workers. Zambians cannot afford," he said.
"I hope there were no political baggages attached to the failure by the unions to be a lot more socially responsible to the limitation of the government negotiating position on this matter. I hope there is no such thing. If there is, it must be gotten rid of. It's an extraneous matter."
He said the welfare of the patients should come first, stressing that the firing of nurses that had gone on strike, at the expense of the well-being of patients in hospitals, was wrong.
"The primary interest of professionals such as nurses, just as that of government, should be the welfare of their clients," Dr Kalumba said.
"In this case, the patient, that is why there is an oath particularly for this category, doctors or nurses, which they take upon graduating to the professional category. This means against all odds, in the worst of circumstances, they would consider first and foremost, not themselves, not the politician, not the bureaucracy, not even the employer but the interest of the patient that they have sworn to serve," Dr Katele said.
"Now that is nothing to say about various grievances that health workers across the country do face. I live in a rural area; I understand the challenges that they have."
Labels: CHARLES KAKOMA, FACKSON SHAMENDA, HEALTHCARE, NURSES
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Sata warns nurses
By Kombe Chimpinde-Mataka and Godfrey Chikumbi in Mansa
Sun 01 Dec. 2013, 14:01 CAT
PRESIDENT Michael Sata has warned nurses to resume work before the government strikes. And President Sata says that it is not possible for the government to introduce free education because it is a cost. Meanwhile, PF secretary general Wynter Kabimba says the party should maintain President Sata for the success of the party.
Speaking when he featured on Mansa's Radio Yangeni where he went to thank the people for voting for Dr Chitalu Chilufya in the recent Mansa Central parliamentary by-election, President Sata said nurses should not have gone on strike without declaring a dispute.
"Let me tell you something; if you your daughter tells you that let me nyela beat you, you just laugh. Nurses are not governing, us we are running that government. We have a minister who is responsible for running that government. We want to follow the law. Let us follow the law, let us follow channels. But if you want to make shortcuts, we as government we have everything at our disposal: we have the police, the courts, so if we want to make shortcuts we can easily make shortcuts and enjoy the shortcuts; it's not blackmail. We have a garden boy, you have a house girl, do they tell you what to do? When we as government strike, we strike one way, not like them," President Sata said.
"If you ask labour minister Mr Shamenda, nurses did not declare a dispute for them to go on strike but we understand they have children. Those nurses who are strking, they are human beings, they have relatives in hospitals and some of their relatives are dying with them going on strike; probably they would have helped someone who is dying. But I don't want to use this channel to tell you what government is thinking, I will leave it to the MPs to deal with them."
President Sata also said defects in the new constitution could be corrected by way of amendments.
"If there are defectives, we don't need a new constitution, we can amend this constitution. If you have a chapter that you want, you can insert in the bills of what you want. We appointed a committee to look at the constitution and when they bring that document, we are not in a hurry. If there was a vacuum, we would have been in a hurry," President Sata said.
"How do you bring in a referendum? We have only had one referendum during Mwanakatwe, how do you come and want to bring in a referendum in between? Secondly, the procedure is that me, I'm hands-off. When the committee (technical committee) finishes they will deal with the justice minister who will take it to Cabinet. But what I am saying is if there are defects, we can call for amendments."
President Sata also castigated civil society organisations that were criticising the government over the constitution-making process, saying that they represented themselves and not the views of people.
He also said he desired for Zambians to have free education before he was voted in office but he realised that that would mean overtaxing the same people.
"When we were in the opposition, it was simple to say we are going to have free education but we didn't realise that we are overtaxing you people who are paying tax and you know education has a cost to build a classroom, to bring a desk, we need to pay a teacher," President Sata said.
"Conditions prevailing in the country right now cannot allow us to implement free education because we are going to punish children who are in the same schools."
He said he wanted to have more schools built in all parts of the country but that meant paying teachers.
And President Sata said his party had achieved a lot in 90 days.
"In 90 days, we have achieved a great deal: increased salaries for civil servants including teachers, in 90 days, we have not done it under 180 days," he said.
And President Michael Sata yesterday deferred the ground-breaking ceremony of Luapula University to next year.
And Kabimba said political parties that have been successful in the world have maintained one leader.
Speaking at a thanksgiving rally at Mansa's Kaole Stadium yesterday, Kabimba said the PF should maintain President Sata who was not out of step with anything that has happened in the world.
He said the cause of the poor had always been in President Sata's blood.
"We all know, those of us who have worked with you, that the cause of the poor is your vision. The cause of the poor runs in your blood; it is not something that comes as an after-thought," he said.
Kabimba, who attributed the victory of the PF to discipline among officials in Mansa, said the ruling party would not compromise on the same.
"We won elections in 2011 because there was discipline in the party and I want to urge the party we ought to maintain discipline because that is what will guarantee success," he said.
At the same rally, Southern Province minister Daniel Munkombwe urged party members to allow President Sata to rule in peace.
Munkombwe said it was too short a time or period for confusion to engulf the party.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, MICHAEL SATA, NURSES, STRIKE
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Mozambican chief hails Zambian medical services
By Richard Luo in Sinda
Wed 20 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
CHIEF Kaduku of Mozambique has hailed Zambia for rendering good medical services to his people.
In an interview at Nyanje village in Sinda district on Monday, chief Kaduku said his area would have lost many lives had it not been for Zambian health services.
He thanked chieftainess Nyanje of the Nsenga people in Sinda for allowing Mozambicans to have access to health services at the RCZ-run Nyanje hospital and also allowing them to grind their maize in Zambia.
Chief Kaduku further expressed happiness with the Ministry of Health through Nyanje and St Francis hospitals for attending to his people.
Chief Kaduku said he had never received any report of his people being mistreated in Zambia.
He said it was unfortunate that previously, some Zambians were being harassed by some Mozambicans and this instilled fear in Zambians to even do business in the neighbouring country.
He also assured Zambians to be free to visit Mozambique to conduct business.
Chief Kaduku said Mozambicans were learning a lot of through from Zambian radio stations.
"Ma radio station ya mu Zambia monga Mphangwe ya pa Katete, Maria ndi Breeze ya ku Chipata ya tithandiza kwambiri pa maluso ndi kumanga mabanja ya anthu (Zambian radio stations like Mphangwe in Katete, Maria and Breeze in Chipata have helped on various matters like skills and bringing families together)," he said.
Chief Kaduku called for continued cooperation between Zambia and his country.
Labels: CHIEF KADUKU, CHIEFTAINESS NYANJE, EASTERN PROVINCE, HEALTHCARE, MOZAMBIQUE
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Mozambican chief hails Zambian medical services
By Richard Luo in Sinda
Wed 20 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
CHIEF Kaduku of Mozambique has hailed Zambia for rendering good medical services to his people.
In an interview at Nyanje village in Sinda district on Monday, chief Kaduku said his area would have lost many lives had it not been for Zambian health services.
He thanked chieftainess Nyanje of the Nsenga people in Sinda for allowing Mozambicans to have access to health services at the RCZ-run Nyanje hospital and also allowing them to grind their maize in Zambia.
Chief Kaduku further expressed happiness with the Ministry of Health through Nyanje and St Francis hospitals for attending to his people.
Chief Kaduku said he had never received any report of his people being mistreated in Zambia.
He said it was unfortunate that previously, some Zambians were being harassed by some Mozambicans and this instilled fear in Zambians to even do business in the neighbouring country.
He also assured Zambians to be free to visit Mozambique to conduct business.
Chief Kaduku said Mozambicans were learning a lot of through from Zambian radio stations.
"Ma radio station ya mu Zambia monga Mphangwe ya pa Katete, Maria ndi Breeze ya ku Chipata ya tithandiza kwambiri pa maluso ndi kumanga mabanja ya anthu (Zambian radio stations like Mphangwe in Katete, Maria and Breeze in Chipata have helped on various matters like skills and bringing families together)," he said.
Chief Kaduku called for continued cooperation between Zambia and his country.
Labels: CHIEF KADUKU, CHIEFTAINESS NYANJE, EASTERN PROVINCE, HEALTHCARE, MOZAMBIQUE
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Govt committed to strengthening financial systems - Kasonde
By Fridah Nkonde
Tue 19 Nov. 2013, 14:01 CAT
HEALTH minister Joseph Kasonde says the Zambian government will ensure that systems and structures are strengthened for improved public financial management and expenditure accountability.
During the official opening of the Global Fund regional meeting for Africa Impact II in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Kasonde said he was happy that the governance dialogue and implementation, through the jointly developed governance management and capacity strengthening plan, had continued to be strengthened with all parties committed to fulfilling their responsibilities.
The aim of the meeting is to provide information on the New Funding Model and share experiences and lessons learned by countries that have been involved in the interim process of the NFM and to make suggestions on how the process can be improved.
"The Global Fund has since disbursed over five billion United States dollars (US$5,041, 831,713.78) to the countries represented here which are Ethiopia, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe. These funds, together with funds from other cooperating partners, and indeed from our own respective governments (between six per cent and 16 per cent share of health in total government expenditure), have supported us in implementing programmes against three communicable diseases, that is, HIV and AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria," Dr Kasonde said in a speech read for him by health deputy minister Christopher Mulenga.
He said Zambia had been privileged to have received over US$720 million from the Global Fund since its inception.
Dr Kasonde said the funding had contributed to having over 480,000 people currently on ART, over 4.3 million Insecticide-Treated Nets distributed and 57,000 new TB smear positive cases detected and treated.
And Uganda's Infectious Diseases Institute executive director Dr Alex Coutinho said it was evident that the Global Fund had done a tremendous job to help fight HIV and AIDS, Malaria and Tuberculosis.
Dr Coutinho said there was need for Global Fund recipients to efficiently utilise the funds and make a difference in people's lives.
Labels: BANKING, HEALTHCARE, JOSEPH KASONDE
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Dr Kaseba's example
By Editor
Tue 19 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
DR Christine Kaseba's selfless work deserves recognition and praise.
This is not to say Dr Kaseba is the only medical doctor in this country working very hard and in a selfless way. We are sure there are other doctors who can equal her. But Dr Kaseba provides something unusual, something we don't see every day - an unusual leadership. And her selfless work reminds us of the work of Dr Ernesto Che Guevara and Dr Agostinho Neto.
Dr Kaseba has many responsibilities and could spend her time differently. Going to treat fellow citizens who desperately need a doctor is certainly not an act of charity on her part. This is true solidarity with one's disadvantaged and marginalised fellow citizens, fellow human beings. And true solidarity has never been an act of charity, it's a duty. Caring for the sick is a calling from God of a special dignity and importance, not just another job or another business.
Health care is really an imitation of Jesus who saw healing the sick as central to his ministry of establishing the Kingdom of God.
We may not be able to do what Dr Kaseba is doing because we don't have her training as a medical doctor, but we can share the charity of loving visits and tender hands and also promote the justice of good health policies and adequate medicines. There is no future development without healthy citizens. And one cannot claim to uphold the sanctity of life if there is no provision for minimal health care for all. Life is sacred, a gift from God to be valued from the moment of conception until death. As Christians, we are to reach out, in compassion and solidarity, to all sick members of the body of Christ.
It is your fellow human being, especially the one who lacks life and needs justice, in whom God wishes to be served and loved. They are the ones with whom Jesus identified.
We are also reminded that faith without deeds is worthless; as James stated: "What does it profit, my brethren, if a man says he has faith, but has not works? Can his faith save him? If a brother or sister is ill-clad and in lack of daily food, and one of you says to them, 'Go in peace, be warmed and filled,' without giving them the things needed for the body, what does it profit? So faith, by itself, if it has no works, is dead" (James 2:14-17).
Clearly, our way of life is the result of what we believe. To Jesus' way of thinking, there is nothing more sacred than the right to life.
While we greatly value the generous dedication to service of many of those who work in the medical field, we cannot ignore that the quality of medical care is often seriously inadequate - patients being unattended to for long periods of time; lack of commitment on the part of some personnel; the failure to recognise each patient as one's brother or sister in need, and so on and so forth. We therefore invite all our health workers to follow Dr Kaseba's example and serve every patient without exception with responsibility and true dedication.
Without doubt the most serious problem we have is the acute shortage of health centres to cater for the population and a critical shortage of personnel. This is priority which a society cannot ignore if it wishes to be a caring and compassionate community. It must be recognised that if this problem has to be tackled, it will demand the allocation of more resources to the state through taxes.
The enjoyment of the right to adequate standard of living entails adequate and equal access to health services for all. This requires an acknowledgement of the problems that beset health services and the willingness to tackle them. Dr Kaseba's work and example is calling for attention to this and therefore needs the support of all citizens of goodwill.
Equality among citizens and the demands of justice call for policies which aim at providing adequate healthcare for all without distinction.
Absolute equality of access to health care for all citizens is difficult to achieve. However, this is an ideal which must be striven for. The guiding principle determining whether a patient will receive priority treatment ought not be that patient's apparent usefulness or the parent's position in society. Rather, every person, whether rich or poor, educated or not, blood relative or not, has equal right to receive healthcare. The practice of stealing and reselling medicines seriously threatens this right.
We wish to pay tribute to the achievement of the government in extending health services with the aim of providing the best possible care for all. And the notable contribution of the churches through their extensive networks of hospitals and health centres is deserving of special praise. At the same time, we are aware of the severe difficulties which the health services are experiencing at present.
Again, the enjoyment of the right to adequate standard of living would be enhanced if our economic lives are animated by the Christian value of loving your neighbour as yourself. This value is embodied in the principle of the common good and solidarity. At the heart of the Christian gospel is Christ's commandment: "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31). If everything we did was measured in terms of this instruction, we could be sure of acting justly in all matters. But it is sometimes difficult to apply such a broad statement to our everyday activities, especially when we are dealing with the complex and highly-structured area of economics. It is often hard to know what exactly the consequences of our economic choices will be. Let us consider, therefore, some of the concrete measures of 'love of neighbour' developed by our churches, which we can use to guide our economic actions and decisions.
Throughout history, people have been bound together in community with one another. As it is sometimes said, human beings are "social animals"; we depend upon each other for our wellbeing and development, and it is impossible for any of us to live full human lives as isolated individuals. From this, it is clear that we have duties and responsibilities towards each other, and that we should order our lives in such a way that we advance not only our interests, but the interests of the whole community. Indeed, the only way in which we can truly advance our own interests is by recognising and promoting the community's interests, or in other words, the common good. This does not mean that there is no room for personal advancement, or that we should put aside our own desires and ambitions and concern ourselves exclusively with the good of the rest of the community. It means rather, that we must find our own interests within the framework laid down by the common good. We must recognise that what is good for the community is good for us, and what is bad for the community is bad for us. And because we are bound together and dependent on each other, it is an illusion to think that a choice which harms the community can, in the long run, be anything but harmful to us as individuals.
Our awareness of the importance of the common good leads us to order our lives and adapt our behaviour accordingly. We adopt an attitude of solidarity towards others and towards the whole community; we become aware of the needs and concerns of others, and 'make them our own'. Solidarity is not simply a question of feeling sorry for others, a vague notion of wanting to contribute to their wellbeing, but a joining with others in a deep commitment to the common good. As such, it acts as a clear and powerful motivation, a guideline for the way we live our lives. This is why we attach great importance to the work Dr Kaseba is doing and the example she is setting for us all.
Labels: CHRISTINE KASEBA, HEALTHCARE
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(NEWZIMBABWE) Minister: Decrepit Mpilo not fit for purpose
17/11/2013 00:00:00
by Staff Reporter
HEALTH and child care minister David Parirenyatwa has expressed shock at the state of the decrepit Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo and said the institution was so run-down it was beyond repair.
Parirenyatwa visited the hospital last week and was told the institution is battling many challenges, among them, financial constraints and a serious manpower shortage.
“When I look at Mpilo Hospital I think it is better to build a new hospital,” he said.
“The main building is dilapidated and some of the departments will be difficult and costly to repair. It is now time to consider constructing friendlier health institutions that will make patients feel at home.
“Regardless of the tremendous amount of commitment by the entire staff, there are areas that need funding. A new mortuary is under construction and it needs to be completed, staff houses and other departments need to be repaired.”
He added: “I am touring our hospitals to assess the infrastructure, equipment and their challenges. Mpilo is the third biggest hospital after Harare and Mutare.
“We have to start moving towards improving our hospitals because we are looking at a lifetime of beyond 30 years. The equipment here is obsolete and needs to be replaced. The supply chain of medicines is very poor.”
The hospital’s chief executive officer Dr Ottis Mantiziba also revealed that pregnant women were now paying maternity fees because it was not receiving any funding from government.
“We submitted claims for re-imbursement from October 2012 to September 2013 totalling $2,4 million and are still to be paid.
“This deficit has negatively affected the smooth operations of the hospital. As a survival strategy, we made the pregnant women pay for maternity services.”
Parirenyatwa however said this was against government policy.
“You are defying Government. It is a standing Government policy that pregnant women, children under five and adults over 65 should not pay to access health services. Maternity services must be paid for by the Government,” said the Minister.
Labels: DAVID PARIRENYATWA, HEALTHCARE, SANCTIONS
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Parry calls for one-stop shops on sexual health
By Edwin Mbulo in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Tue 12 Nov. 2013, 14:00 CAT
HELEN Parry has called for the establishment of one-stop shops to integrate HIV, sexual and reproductive health in Africa.
Parry, a senior advisor on sexual reproductive health, told journalists during a training session ahead of the
International Conference on Family Planning (ICFP2013) to be held at the African Union Conference Centre starting today, that integration of reproductive health and HIV programmes would
help reduce costs of treatment and care.
"Integration is very much about practically joining up the services and interventions on the ground so that people get a full range of services; from HIV prevention, care, support and treatment if they are HIV positive and also looking at family planning and sexual and reproductive health needs such as contraceptive needs. In an ideal setting, one health care provider will be able to provide all of those things and we call that a one-stop-shop," Parry explained.
She said there was a clear link between reproductive health and HIV, in that most HIV infections globally are transmitted sexually or associated with pregnancy, child birth and breastfeeding.
"So obviously bringing these two things together can help address these issues. We know people living with sexually transmitted infections are more likely to be infected with HIV, so, looking at HIV and sexual reproductive health makes a lot of sense. Some of the root causes and the things that can impact on people's risk in relation to sexually transmitted infections, unsafe sex, potential HIV infections and some of the underlining issues such as poverty, gender norms, cultural practices are all the same," she said.
Parry said patients in rural areas walk long distances to access health care and everything must be done to ensure that a patient gets all the services at one visit.
"Joining services on the ground would greatly help because if a patient is coming for a health service, be it family planning or STI treatment or voluntary counselling and testing, the fact that the patient would have walked a distance to get there you would want to make sure that you provide her with all the services that she might possibly need as a patient in rural areas might not come again to the health centre in months," she said.
Labels: EUGENICS, HEALTHCARE, HELEN PARRY, HIV/AIDS, HIV/AIDS FRAUD
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Scheme to benefit 4 million children
October 28, 2013
Paidamoyo Chipunza Herald Reporter
More than four million children aged between one and 15 years will be treated for bilharzia and intestinal worms this week following revelations the diseases are creating a public health scare in 57 of the country’s 63 districts.
Speaking at a Press conference in Harare on Friday, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care Dr Paul Chimedza said the major objective of the countrywide mass treatment which starts today and runs until November 2, is to eliminate bilharzia and intestinal worms.
According to the 2010 nationwide prevalence survey, Shamva was the worst affected district where 52 percent of its children were affected by bilharzia, while Chikomba tops the chart on intestinal worms with a prevalence rate of 63 percent.
These revelations culminated in the development of a Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) policy, master plan and mass treatments.
“Mass drug administration forms a single most important rapid intervention as preventive chemotherapy for these two neglected tropical diseases most prevalent in Zimbabwe.
“By so doing, we reduce the continued transmission of the disease in the population as well as reduce the suffering for the affected communities,” said Dr Chimedza.
The national launch would be at Tsungubvi Primary School in Mazowe district today.
This is the second time the mass treatment is running after successfully conducting the first round in September last year.
Dr Chimedza said 4,7 million children, up from 1,1 million previously, are set to benefit after development partners doubled their contributions towards the drugs.
He said last year, Government only had 2,5 million tablets for each of the diseases, but this time, they received over 11,5 million tablets for bilharzia and 5,5 million for intestinal worms, enough to reach over 4,7 million children in all districts.
Unicef procured 8,2 million and 5,1 million tablets for bilharzia and intestinal worms respectively while the World Health Organisation availed 3,5 million tablets for bilharzia.
World Vision International also donated 5 500 units while other donors assisted with the children’s meals, among other contributions.
Dr Chimedza said treatments would be done at health facilities, designated schools, and other points of community convergence during the week-long campaign.
“The support and co-operation by all concerned Government ministries, partners and affected communities will ensure the realisation of the goal to eliminate these diseases in order to improve the health of our children and development of our communities. We, therefore, call upon every Zimbabwean to stand and support the 2013 campaign,” said Dr Chimedza.
Speaking at the same occasion, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Unicef, WHO and World Vision officials expressed their commitment to supporting the mass treatments to end bilharzia and intestinal worms in Zimbabwe.
Epidemiology and disease control director in the Health and Child Care ministry, Dr Portia Manangazira urged parents to give children food rich in Vitamin C, carbohydrates and proteins such as beans and orange juice before bringing them for treatment, to minimise the risk of side effects.
Labels: BILHARZIA, HEALTHCARE
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MoH dealing with results of Zambeef samples - Kasonde
By Fridah Nkonde
Sat 05 Oct. 2013, 14:01 CAT
HEALTH minister Dr Joseph Kasonde says his ministry has already started 'dealing with' the Zambeef results that tested positive two months ago.
In June this year, Dr Kasonde said the government was in the process of taking legal action against Zambeef. He said his ministry tested and confirmed that aromatic aldehyde was present in some batches of the meat that they received.
Asked on Thursday what his ministry was going to do after the Zambeef results, Dr Kasonde said his ministry was "dealing with it".
"We are dealing with it…as a ministry, we did lab tests in Zambia and we also took some samples to South Africa just to confirm. The question we have to ask is who had brought those samples and who was the actual person who confronted those who delivered the beef," he said.
Dr Kasonde said it was not the Ministry of Health that got hold of the samples but local health officers from various councils.
"…and so each one has got which company they caught and have got answers. We have also given them back the results to continue with the prosecutions. They will continue prosecuting all those found wanting…as a ministry, we did not arrest anybody," said Dr Kasonde.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, JOSEPH KASONDE, ZAMBEEF
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Namwala DC underscores chiefs' role in development
By Wayilinda Phiri in Namwala
Wed 11 Sep. 2013, 14:00 CAT
NAMWALA district commissioner Gevar Nsanzya says the success and sustainability of any community progra-mme requires the involvement of traditional and civic leaders, who are the link to the electorate in their respective wards and villages.
During the official opening of a two-day workshop for Community Led Total Sanitation (CLTS) organised by the Namwala District Water Sanitation Hygiene Education (DWASHE) committee, funded by the local government ministry, in conjunction with the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), which targeted councillors, heads of government departments and the four chiefs for Namwala namely chief Nalubamba, chief Mungaila, chief Muchila and chief Mukobela, Nsanzya appealed to health technologists and community champions to work with traditional leaders to mobilise the community for quick progress and development of CLTS programmes in the district.
He said the government, with support from UNICEF and DANIDA, had made a commitment to ensure that good sanitation and hygiene in communities are observed.
Nsanzya said the CLTS methodology was currently being used to improve rural water and sanitation, and was operational in most chiefdoms of Zambia.
The programme stresses the need to uphold hygiene practices such as construction of simple and affordable latrines, washing of hands and access to clean drinking water.
Nsanzya said the training workshop was very important because the chiefs were expected to develop an action plan with the support of the Ministry of Chiefs and Traditional Affairs and other district government departments, together with the District Water Sanitation Hygiene (DWASHE) members to ensure the remaining three chiefdoms are open defecation-free (ODF).
He pointed out that the support of traditional leadership had seen great success in Namwala, particularly chief Mukobela's chiefdom, which had attained the ODF status, and the district would soon celebrate their achievements, and the Ministry of Health, Community Development and Mother and Child Health and the Chiefs and Traditional Affairs had organised a national ODF celebration on September 20, 2013 in chief Mukobela's area.
Meanwhile, Namwala district council chief public health officer Mangwato Munachilau said there had been an increase in the number of community champions trained in the district so that they cover vast areas of the district and that UNICEF had provided the necessary resources for training in order to meet MDG number 7.
And Namwala district public health officer Innocent Hamuganyu said the district had recorded a reduction in diarrhoea-related diseases since the inception of the CLTS programme.
He further said the district wa s lobbying to have a fast-track court at the Namwala council to quickly dispose of cases for the legal enforcement component of CLTS.
Labels: CHIEFS, CLTS, GEVAR NSANZYA, HEALTHCARE
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Pregnancy-related causes claim a life every 4 hours - Dr Kaseba
By Fridah Nkonde
Fri 12 Apr. 2013, 14:01 CAT
FIRST lady Dr Christine Kaseba says a woman dies every four hours in Zambia from pregnancy-related causes.
During the launch of maternal newborn and child health roadmap in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Kaseba said although progress had been made in the reduction of maternal, under-five and infant mortality rates over the years, the reductions had not resulted in significant progress as death still remained unacceptably high.
"Most of these women die during childbirth and the first one week of delivery. We also know that the poorest women have more than twice as many children as women who live in the wealthiest households.
Challenges remain because almost 850 children die daily from preventable diseases. Many more thousands of children are suffering from illnesses caused by lack of clean water, poor nutrition, and adequate health services and care," Dr Kaseba said.
She said low access to family planning results in frequent unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and contributes to increased risk of abortions, stillbirths, prematurity and babies born with low birth weight.
She said sick children were less likely to reach school age healthy, well nourished, confident and ready to learn.
She said Zambia should end preventable child deaths and that no woman should die while giving life.
"As women, we need to ensure that household and communities practice health seeking behaviours. As husbands, and father, you need to recognise that you play a major role in ensuring access of health services to women and children and communities are strongly encouraged to mobilise themselves to ensure that they mobilise necessary logistics including transport for referral of pregnant women and sick children for health care," she said.
Dr Kaseba appealed to the government to address the high poverty levels which mostly affected women and children.
She also urged medical officers to pay due diligence in providing the required health services that would improve lives of women and children.
UNICEF deputy executive director Geeta Rao Gupta said the agency was committed to support the Zambian government-led effort to identify the most disadvantaged children and reach those communities where the burden of mortality was highest.
Labels: CHRISTINE KASEMBA, HEALTHCARE, WOMEN
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Ndoki health centre on verge of collapse, says Luwingu DC
By Edwin Phiri in Luwingu
Fri 12 Apr. 2013, 14:00 CAT
LUWINGU district commissioner Mambwe Katontoka says Ndoki Rural Health Centre is on the verge of collapse due to huge cracks developing on the walls.
Katontoka who travelled to the area to ascertain the state of the government building constructed in 1998, said it had become very dangerous and pleaded with the Ministry of Education to surrender one of the unoccupied teachers' houses to be used as a centre for the time being.
"Yah, this is what rains can do sure to this building providing health service to the community!" she said to herself.
Katontoka said the institution was meant to cater to over 50,000 people and others from villages situated in Chilubi district, adding if closed, the local people would suffer.
Katontoka also disclosed that Ruthens Construction Company engaged to construct a maternity annex at the health centre had vanished after only delivering over 300 pockets of cement, door and window frames, wheel barrows and brick force wire spider trances.
She said the cement which was delivered between November 2011 and February 2012 had since expired, hardened and could not be used in any construction.
And speaking on behalf of Ndoki residents, Francis Kasonde said the community was ready to contribute over 25 per cent to see the construction of a new rural health centre, including staff houses if government assured them of funding as soon as possible.
Kasonde said it would be unfair for the government to close the centre without providing a lasting solution to help people access health services.
He said the population in that area had grown adding that patients including pregnant mothers could not afford to walk over 60 kilometres to Shimumbi Health Centre and over 200 kilometres to Luwingu District Hospital respectively.
Kasonde asked the district commissioner to talk to the District Education Board Secretary for possible use of a classroom block as a temporary health centre during school holiday rather than completely closing the institution.
And Ndoki school head teacher Geshom Chibuye said following the crises, the school stands with the community to release a teacher's house to be used as a temporary health centre as government looks for other avenues.
And when contacted for comment, provincial infrastructure officer for Northern and Muchinga Province Francis Mulenga said Ndoki Rural Health Centre was declared unfit because it could collapse any time.
Mulenga also said the Ministry of Health was doing everything possible to ensure that the construction of maternity annex was done within this year.
He said the contractor engaged to do the maternity annex in Ndoki had his contract terminated and government was considering sending another contractor to finish the job.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, MAMBWE KATONTOKA
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Kaonga laments sleeping conditions for mothers in Chimbokaila
By Fridah Nkonde
Fri 12 Apr. 2013, 14:00 CAT
SLEEPING conditions at Lusaka Central Prison do not provide incarcerated mothers and their children space that is safe and secure, says Zambia Prisons Service Lusaka province regional commander Chrispin Kaonga.
And Gender and Child Development deputy minister Esther Banda says government and the Zambia Prisons Service will ensure that children whose parents are in prison receive the necessary attention like any other child.
Meanwhile, out of 105 female inmates at Lusaka Central Prison, 10 have circumstantial children of which six were males and four are females.
During the Ministry of Gender and Child Development's donation of assorted items to prisoner mothers and their children at Lusaka Central Prison on Wednesday, Kaonga said babies were delicate and required environments that were clean and conducive.
"But now we can't find that environment in the prison at the moment. We have people with different kinds of ailments in prison and children are supposed to be protected at all times. Lusaka Central Prison is a place where you find female inmates, those that are convicted and those still appearing before the courts of law. We even have the newest baby that was born last week," Kaonga said.
She said the food that was found in prison was that of grown up people, adding that they had challenges when it came to feeding of the babies because they did not have provisions of milk and porridge for the children.
"Your coming here minister would provide a way of finding a solution to this problem. The space that we have is not adequate. We would want to have a nursery in prison where babies can be kept during the day but due to competing needs we have failed to have one. We would want these children born from prisoners to become meaningful and responsible citizens of this country because they are prisoner not by design but because their parents are prisoners," he said.
And Banda said her ministry had embarked on a programme targeting children living with their incarcerated parents.
"This programme will among other things focus on gathering of information on children living with their incarcerated parents for us to come up with appropriate intervention measures, creating of linkages with other stakeholders in order to provide alternative care for children whose parents are in prison and mobilisation of necessary resources to support children whose parents are in prison," she said.
She said her ministry would also ensure that women prisoners benefit from the women economic empowerment programmes upon being released so that they could lead better and productive lives.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, WOMEN
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Mwachisompola clinic underutilised - Kaseba
By Mukosha Funga in Chibombo
Tue 04 Dec. 2012, 09:20 CAT
FIRST lady Dr Christine Kaseba has expressed disappointment that Mwachisompola health centre in Chibombo district is being underutilised.
Meanwhile, Chibombo district medical officer Dr Pricilla Chisha says the centre needs to be elevated to hospital status.
Speaking when she toured the facility on Saturday, Dr Kaseba said she was disappointed with the operations of the centre.
After checking records in the labour ward, she discovered that an average of eight deliveries per month were carried out at the centre.
"It is a shame; that means you are only having one delivery per day. Where are the other women going? This place is supposed to cater for about 9,000 people in this catchment. Even the donors who put in funds to renovate this place would be very disappointed," she said.
Dr Kaseba said the fact that people went to Liteta Hospital instead meant there was more pressure there.
"We need to reduce pressure on the other facilities. Find a way of ensuring that people should also be coming here. Have specific diseases that can only be treated here so that this place should become busy. It is not right to have a facility that is not being utilised to its full capacity. It is better to close it at this rate," said Dr Kaseba.
But Dr Chisha appealed to the government to speed up the process of upgrading the centre into a hospital.
She also appealed for recruitment of more health workers as there were currently only five nurses at the facility.
Dr Chisha assured Dr Kaseba that her concerns would be taken into consideration.
"We are going to carry out a research and do a comprehensive report on why people prefer going elsewhere and we will find solutions of how to bring more people here," said Dr Chisha.
During the tour, only one woman was admitted in the ward with her baby and only one man was in the male ward in a centre that is supposed to service about 9000 people.
Labels: CHRISTINE KASEBA, HEALTHCARE
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COMMENT - See here the effect of economic sanctions, which are intended to pauperize the Zimbabwean government and people.
Hospital holds mass burials for 700 neo-natal infants
Monday, 12 November 2012 00:00
Tendai Rupapa Herald Reporter
Harare Central Hospital Last Friday conducted mass burials for 700 neo-natal infants, which had gone for several months in its mortuaries due to resource constraints. The hospital had been unable to incinerate or bury the bodies due to financial constraints.
The burials were done through support from Nyaradzo Funeral Services, which provided coffins and undertaker services, Harare City Council, which provided burial space and the Registrar General (RG)’s Office’s, which issued out burial orders.
In a joint statement by the hospital and Nyaradzo funeral services, the hospital’s spokesperson, Mrs Philisia Mandeya said they were unable to cope with bodies of infants brought to its mortuaries by the police as well as those referred to the institution by the Department of Social Welfare.
She said there were also cases of mothers who dump their deceased infants at the hospital instead of collecting them for burial.
“The situation in our public hospitals has been told over and over again. Because of the breakdown of our incinerator and other reasons, we have been unable to expeditiously dispose of the neo-natal infants, resulting in the bodies accumulating in our mortuaries.
“We are grateful to the support received from Nyaradzo, City of Harare and the RG’s Office — their involvement has enabled us to get around what had appeared to be an insurmountable task.
“We are appealing to the corporate sector to emulate the example set by Nyaradzo. We are not in any way suggesting that they should support Harare Central Hospital alone; we are basically saying they should extend the support to other institutions that are also in need.”
Labels: HEALTHCARE, SANCTIONS
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