Katema implores Zambian men to get circumcised
By Fridah Nkonde
Wed 24 July 2013, 14:01 CAT
COMMENT - Josph Katema is a fool. There is absolutely no evidence that circumcision prevents HIV infection of men, which is what it is touted as. Otherwise, circumcision is just an unneccessary and therefore unnecessarily risky medical procedure. It has the backing of hundreds of millions of dollars in donor aid, which should tell you all you need to know whose interests are being served with this continent wide campaign. To read about the fraud that is at the core of this universal circumcision drive in Africa, read here and here. The 'circumcision prevents HIV infection' claim is based on 3 surveys, 2 of which were 'stopped short for benefit', which is fraud. - MrK
COMMUNITY Development Mother and Child Health Minister Joseph Katema says all Zambian men need to be convinced to go for voluntary medical male circumcision. And Dr Katema says Zambia's National Male Circumcision programme is one of the most successful in Africa.
I'm sure the donors will be pleased to hear that. - MrK
Meanwhile, the ministry of Community Development intends to circumcise 45,000 males during the August campaign. During the launch of the Voluntary Medical Male Circumcision (VMMC) August campaign in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Katema said there was need to dispel myths on male circumcision.
"We can only achieve this impact if we can convince all Zambian men to seek the service, while continuing other preventive measures such as correct and consistent condom use. We cannot continue to allow myths to prevent our men from undergoing a procedure which has the potential to save their lives. We need to dispel myths on male circumcision which does not: prevent pregnancy, cause impotence or erectile dysfunction, cure a man who is HIV positive," Dr Katema said.
He, however, said male circumcision had a number of other health benefits such as the reduction of urinary tract infections in infants, the reduction of penile cancer and protection against sexually transmitted infections in males.
Dr Katema said there was need to actively contribute to ensuring that Zambia achieved universal coverage of male circumcision.
Meanwhile, VMMC national coordinator Dr Albert Kaonga said to achieve universal coverage, Zambia needed to reach 1.9 million HIV negative adult males by 2015.
Dr Kaonga said over 400,000 VMMCs had been performed to date, adding that 107,000 males had been circumcised from January to July this year.
Labels: CIRCUMCISION, FRAUD, HIV/AIDS, JOSEPH KATEMA
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Katema implores families to care for the aged
By Fridah Nkonde
Wed 23 Jan. 2013, 13:59 CAT
COMMUNITY development minister Joseph Katema says elderly people are a source of information and experience if society makes proper use of them. And Dr Katema says elderly people should not be viewed as a burden or enemies in society. In an interview yesterday, Dr Katema said Zambians needed to be educated on the importance of taking care of the aged in society.
"The elderly should not be viewed as a burden or an enemy in society. That is what is happening because when some people are having calamities in their families, they have to look at an elderly person in the neighbourhood to point a finger at to say, 'that is a witch'," he said.
Dr Katema said taking care of the aged should be the responsibility of families and communities.
"The best place where the elderly should be taken care of is the home environment, the family environment," he said.
Dr Katema said most families were unable to take care of the aged because they were incapacitated by the harsh economic and social conditions which were prevailing.
He said the government would empower families which were looking after people above the age of sixty.
"That is the reason why you will find that in all our social protection programmes, the social cash transfer, the food security pack, the public welfare assistance schemes, beneficiaries are those households keeping the aged. This is one of the strongest criteria which we consider for people to get food security packs and other things," he said.
Dr Katema said the government had formulated a policy on ageing which would be taken to Cabinet for tabling and publication.
Labels: JOSEPH KATEMA, PENSIONERS
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COMMENT - Tax the mines, and money will be available. Better yet, start treating Zambia's copper as if it belongs to the people, and demand full compensation from the mines - or they will face nationalisation.
Katema links malnutrition to high poverty levels
By Fridah Nkonde
Sat 30 June 2012, 13:24 CAT
HIGH levels of poverty in Zambia have contributed to the 50 per cent of children who are malnourished, says Dr Joseph Katema.
Dr Katema, the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health said in an interview that malnutrition in the country was not as a result of poor feeding methods on the part of the mothers but shortage of food.
"We cannot say that children are malnourished because mothers are ignorant on how to feed their children. All we can say is that the main driver of malnutrition is poverty in the country and there is need for us to tackle this problem in a more integrated approach by means of empowering women in communities," Dr Katema said.
He said there were a lot of vulnerable people in communities, noting the need for his ministry to help reduce poverty which causes malnutrition through empowerment programmes which he said had already been put in place.
Dr Katema said his ministry wanted to tackle malnutrition at household level and not at health centre level because most of the children were taken to the clinic late when malnutrition had already reached its advanced stage.
He said there were groups in communities that went door-to-door to identify children who were at the verge of suffering from malnutrition.
Dr Katema said going door-to-door initiatives helped the ministry to detect the signs of malnutrition and then put up interventions in the communities.
He said tackling the root cause of the malnutrition would help prevent malnutrition in children.
"The interventions we have put in place as a ministry will help us pull most families out of poverty and also fight malnutrition. Empowering women will help our ministry deal with malnutrition at household level. What we do not want as a ministry is to have children suffering from severe malnutrition. We just have to put a stop to that," Dr Katema said.
He said it was difficult for mothers to give their children balanced meals because most of them could not afford to buy proper food and that most families did not have three meals every day.
Dr Katema said the availability of food was cardinal to the fight against malnutrition.
Labels: JOSEPH KATEMA, MALNUTRITION, POVERTY
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‘PF won't use money meant for poverty alleviation as a political tool'
By Misheck Wangwe in Chingola
Mon 06 Feb. 2012, 12:59 CAT
A LOT of money meant for community development was abused and used for political expedience in the previous MMD government, says Dr Joseph Katema.
In an interview on Thursday, Dr Katema, who is Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Affairs, said the PF government will not use money meant for poverty alleviation as a political tool.
He said the ministry had laid down structures which remained dormant for a long time due to widespread corruption in the previous regime.
Dr Katema said it was sad that despite having community and social welfare officers at community and national level, resources were not trickling down for them to execute their duties in the interest of the nation due to corruption in the system.
He said his ministry was working hard to depoliticize the system and create an enabling environment for the majority poor to have access to services in an effort to enhance human integral development.
"Everyone saw what was happening in this country when we talk about corruption and misuse of public funds. In this ministry, we know that funds were put aside for women and youth empowerment but it was given to cadres.
"You cannot abuse an economic tool which is important for poverty alleviation. That was unacceptable and it has come to an end," Dr Katema said.
He said committees such as the Food Security Pack (FSP) and Community Welfare Assistance Committees (CWACS) would be helping the ministry at national level to identify the needs of various groups and households.
Dr Katema said the vision of the PF government through the Ministry of Community Development, Mother and Child was to end poverty, reduce child mortality rates due to malnutrition and other related diseases.
"I' am not going to stand before a crowd of people as community minister and start dishing out money to wrong people like it used to happen. We know our people need development in their communities; they want empowerment to better their lives and prevent diseases that kill our children and mothers due to poverty. We will identify our people through the laid down system and they will start seeing benefits," said Dr Katema.
Labels: CORRUPTION, JOSEPH KATEMA, PF
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Government depoliticising disbursement of empowerment funds - Katema
By Misheck Wangwe in Kitwe
Fri 23 Dec. 2011, 13:25 CAT
FUNDS meant for the empowerment of vulnerable groups will never be abused for political purposes like the previous MMD regime did, says Joseph Katema.
In an interview in Kitwe yesterday, Dr Katema who is the Minister of Community Development, Mother and Child Health said the PF government was working towards depoliticising the disbursement of the empowerment funds.
He said many poor people were not accessing funds meant for empowerment of citizens because the MMD government politicised the exercise to an extent where only the cadres were enjoying the money meant for people's human integral development, particularly those in rural areas.
Dr Katema said the desire of the PF government was to see ordinary citizens, especially vulnerable women and children, have access to the much-needed funds for their personal development.
"I have discovered that we have a situation where public funds meant for human development were turned from being developmental tools into political tools. People had to queue up for these funds with voter's cards in their hands.That is one of the abuses we want to clear….So under the PF government, its' hands off to everybody, we want our people who voted for this government to see development," said Dr Katema.
Labels: JOSEPH KATEMA
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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.
Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, HEALTHCARE, JOSEPH KATEMA, PF
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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.
Labels: HEALTHCARE, JOSEPH KATEMA, MMD
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Mobile hospitals a national disaster - Dr Katema
By Kombe Chimpinde
Tue 24 May 2011, 04:01 CAT
THE government’s decision to run mobile hospitals alongside the already existing static health facilities in the country is a self-created national disaster, according to a PF member of parliament.
Dr Joseph Katema, the Chingola member of parliament, said it was shameful for President Rupiah Banda and his team to embark on running mobile hospitals without carrying out an assessment of their viability as evidenced by the supplementary budget of K21.6 billion.
“It’s very shameful that the government can embark on a decision that came after President Banda’s visit to China, a programme that was not budgeted for, a plan that is not indicated in any of the country’s national strategic plans.
This shows lack of vision and plan for the health sector by this government,” said Dr Katema in an interview.
He said the government had diverted from the country’s national strategic plan, which seeks to focus on primary health care as a basis for improving lives in Zambia.
Dr Katema wondered how a proper referral system, which was mainly done between clinics and district hospitals, would be undertaken under the mobile health services.
“In an ideal health system a person should know that when I walk to point A or B, where they are then treated or referred depends on the degree of sickness. But now we have seen a shortcut where we have the whole “UTH” which moves from village to village. It does not work out like that.
It is very clear from the explanations that we are getting that the government does not know how these hospitals will operate,” Dr Katema said. “This is why you see cooperating partners shifting ways from us. You must realise that a huge chunk of money that is injected in the health sector comes from cooperating partners.”
He said the procurement of mobile hospitals was aimed at appeasing people in rural areas ahead of elections at the expense urgent and pressing problems in the health sector.
Dr Katema advised President Banda and his government to desist from politicising the health sector as it was very critical to the lives of the citizens.
The government procured mobile hospitals using a US$53 million loan acquired from China. Recently, government approved a K21.6 billion supplementary budget which would go towards the operation costs of the said hospitals this year.
Labels: JOSEPH KATEMA, MOBILE HOSPITALS
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COMMENT - " all councils were agents of the central government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing. " I would say there is room for decentralization, and it will not happen under the MMD.
Rupiah wants to tarnish PF councils’ image - Katema
By Misheck Wangwe and Kabanda Chulu
Fri 22 Apr. 2011, 04:00 CAT
IT hurts to see that Zambians have a President who propagates lies on the performance of PF-controlled councils, says Dr Joseph Katema.
Commenting on President Rupiah Banda’s remarks that Patriotic Front-controlled councils on the Copperbelt had failed to deliver the much-needed development, Dr Katema, who is Chingola member of parliament, said it was sad that the country had a President who could not take responsibility over the failures of his government.
Dr Katema said President Banda’s government was holding on to money which was meant for developmental programmes such as the rehabilitation of roads to make people feel that PF-controlled councils were not performing.
“We are ready to work and we’ve done what we can within our means. We can’t construct the roads because we don’t have enough money and it’s solely the responsibility of the central government and its line agents, the Road Development Agency (RDA) and the National Road Fund. Rupiah is simply politicking; he wants to tarnish the image of the PF because his government has failed the people,” said Dr Katema.
And Nchanga parliamentarian Wylbur Simuusa said President Banda would not gain political mileage by blaming the PF over lack of development on the Copperbelt.
He said people were already aware that the government had failed to deliver development’ hence they had opted to support the PF.
“Unfortunately, Zambia has a leader who claims to be a president for all but national wealth is distributed in a discriminate manner because he wants people to change their minds and vote for the MMD. These are cheap politics that will not in any way help him to woo the electorate to vote for him,” said Simuusa.
And Roan member of parliament Chishimba Kambwili said councils were failing to meet the needs of people in many ways because President Banda’s government was not releasing enough money for development.
Kambwili said it was not feasible for councils to operate effectively when the government was not providing sufficient funds.
“Rupiah is like a bad carpenter who always blames his tools. If there is no money coming from central government, he should not expect the councils to perform. The budget of Luanshya Municipal Council is K14 billion. To do one kilometre of a road is 2.5 billion.
You should ask Rupiah what he expects us to do to meet all these demands of our people if his Cabinet is holding on to money. Surely our people want us to attend to their needs not politics every time,” he said.
Kambwili said the wisest thing for the electorate to do was to vote out President Banda and his government because he had failed the people.
And Nkana parliamentarian Mwenya Musenge said President Banda’s directive will not sway the minds of voters who have already made their choice.
Musenge described President Banda’s press conference as an embarrassment to the nation because it failed to address issues affecting people on the Copperbelt.
“His (President Banda) decision will have minimal impact because most people have already paid for the houses and the very few with balances have also paid over 80 per cent and it is cheap propaganda to think that over 3,000 people who shall benefit from the write-off will sway the minds of voters on the Copperbelt because they have already decided to do away with MMD,” said Musenge.
“If anything, President Banda has landed himself into trouble because he should also address the plight of former UBZ, CH, Monarch Steel, Mpelembe Properties and many retirees who are suffering and sleeping at Intercity Bus Terminus while waiting for their pensions.
Actually, we expected him to present findings of audit reports because he made similar allegations last year.”
And Kitwe mayor Elias Kamanga has said President Banda’s criticism of PF-led councils on the poor state of the roads is misplaced since the service was withdrawn and given to the RDA.
Kamanga said there was nothing like PF-controlled councils since all councils were agents of the central government through the Ministry of Local Government and Housing.
“Problems affecting councils are the same. In fact, they are worse in MMD-led councils like Kalulushi, Luanshya and Chililabombwe and why criticise councils on the state of roads when this service has been taken over by the RDA and councils just submit work plans?” wondered Kamanga.
Labels: COUNCILS, DECENTRALIZATION, ELIAS KAMANGA, JOSEPH KATEMA, LOCAL GOVERNMENT, PF, RUPIAH BANDA, WYLBUR SIMUUSA
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Katema asks govt to protect Zambians from KCM
By Kabanda Chulu in Kitwe
Sat 15 Jan. 2011, 04:00 CAT
CHINGOLA parliamentarian Joseph Katema says the government should protect the lives of Zambians from KCM’s quest to reap abnormal profits at the expense of polluting the environment.
And some government officials have said
Chamber of Mines of Zambia general manager Frederick Bantubonse is a wrong person to sit on the Environmental Council of Zambia (ECZ) board.
Reacting to the latest pollution incident where Konkola Copper Mines has polluted the Kafue River with preliminary ECZ results indicating a presence of heavy metals in the River, Katema said government should intervene and protect the lives of people especially Chingola residents.
“These are the issues we expected Vice-President George Kunda to address when he visited Chingola but he kept quiet and focused on trivial issues and when government keeps quiet people will draw up conclusions that government is ‘eating’ those abnormal profits with KCM because why should government turn a blind eye when KCM is polluting the environment at the expense of making profits,” Katema said.
“We want somebody senior like Vice-President Kunda or President Banda to take leadership and demand substantial compensation from KCM the way President Obama did with BP during the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico .”
[Nice hope, except that the MMD is bought and paid for. - Mrk]
And Chingola’s Twatasha Ward councillor George Sichula accused the MMD government of having a ‘dirty covenant’ with KCM.
“This is why KCM is doing everything with impunity and it is not only polluting the environment but also disregarding labour laws and related Zambian regulations,” said Sichula.
“Since we have weak laws that results in K21 million fines, government should put in place measures that will compel offenders pay compensation towards victims and rehabilitation of affected area.”
And Nchanga parliamentarian Wilbur Simuusa said continued pollution of the environment by KCM was getting out of hand.
“It is barely a few weeks after a similar incident occurred and it is strange that this is happening only in Zambia because where Vedanta (KCM holding company) operates they follow regulations but here KCM is putting at risk the lives of many people,” said Simuusa.
And some government officials said Bantubonse should be removed from the ECZ board where he is the vice-chairperson.
“ Bantubonse is representing the chamber of mines where he is general manager and is saying the law should be lenient in addressing cases of environmental pollution. But in another breath, he is on ECZ board where he has to push for higher penalties for environmental pollution. Since 2009 or so, ECZ has had no board chairperson, so in essence, Bantubonse is the ECZ chairperson. He appeared at Parliament and made submissions that the law should be considerate on pollution. But ECZ, which he represents, the council is saying the law is not deterrent enough. Companies that pollute are charged very small amount,” said one official.
The official said there was clear conflict of interest on Bantubonse’s part.
Labels: FREDERICK BANTUBONSE, JOSEPH KATEMA, KCM, POLLUTION
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Dr Katema disputes Chituwo's report
By Mutuna Chanda in Kitwe and Patson Chilemba in Lusaka
Wednesday August 13, 2008 [04:00]
A GENERAL medical practitioner Dr Joseph Katema has said health minister Dr Brian Chituwo's recent statement over President Mwanawasa's current condition is not truthful. And Deputy Speaker of National Assembly Mutale Nalumango yesterday urged the government to take to the House a statement of clarification over President Mwanawasa's condition.
Commenting on Dr Chituwo's statement in Parliament last Friday that President Levy Mwanawasa was heavily sedated, Dr Katema said there were some untruths in the update to members of parliament.
Dr Katema said it was not possible that someone who had respiratory difficulties and had an operation to improve his breathing could have been put on sedatives.
"The statement was quite contradictory," Dr Katema, who is also Chingola Patriotic Front member of parliament said. "When someone is under respiratory distress to the extent that they undergo a minor operation to improve breathing, sedatives are contra-indicated; meaning that you cannot put someone in such a condition on sedatives.
Sedatives inhibit the brain including the respiratory centre in the brain. So giving sedatives to someone in such a condition is pushing him over to the other side."
Dr Katema challenged the government to tell the nation the truth about President Mwanawasa's condition.
"There are some untruths in the statement by the health minister," Dr Katema said. "The government should have told the truth. They should tell the nation the truth."
Dr Katema also said it was difficult to tell a patient's condition after seeing him/her for the first time except for the medical personnel monitoring them.
"He Dr Chituwo should have told us the level of consciousness of the President. Using the Glasgow Coma Scale, you can ascertain the level of consciousness of a patient," said Dr Katema.
Dr Chituwo last week told the nation that President Mwanawasa's recovery would take long. He said President Mwanawasa was heavily sedated but in a stable condition.
According to free encyclopedia, Wikipedia, "a sedative, or, more specifically, a sedative-hypnotic, is a substance that depresses the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in calmness, relaxation, reduction of anxiety, sleepiness, and slowed breathing, and possibly - at higher doses - slurred speech, staggering gait, poor judgment, and slow, uncertain reflexes. Doses of sedative-hypnotics when used as a hypnotic to induce sleep tend to be higher than those used to relieve anxiety. Sedative-hypnotics may be referred to as tranquilisers, depressants, anxiolytics, soporifics, and sleeping pills.
Sedative-hypnotics can be abused to produce an overly-calming effect alcohol being the classic and most common sedating drug. At high doses or when they are abused, many of these drugs can cause unconsciousness (see hypnotic) and even death.
"Doctors and nurses often administer sedatives to patients in order to dull the patient's anxiety related to painful or anxiety-provoking procedures. Although sedatives do not relieve pain in themselves, they can be a useful adjunct to analgesics in preparing patients for surgery, and are commonly given to patients before they are anaesthetised, or before other highly uncomfortable and invasive procedures like cardiac catheterisation, colonoscopy or MRI. They increase tractability and compliance of children or troublesome or demanding patients. Patients in intensive care units are almost always sedated unless they are unconscious from their condition anyway."
And deputy speaker Nalumango yesterday urged the government to take to the House a statement of clarification over President Mwanawasa's condition.
Responding to a point of order by opposition ULP Livingstone member of parliament Sakwiba Sikota who asked whether it was in order for defence minister George Mpombo to doubt Dr Chituwo's statement on President Mwanawasa rather than seek clarifications through the House, Nalumango said the executive arm of government should have taken responsibility by making clarification through Parliament.
Nalumango said there was need for periodic updates on the status of President Mwanawasa's health.
"The executive should have taken responsibility to come back and make clarification here in the House. And at this point, therefore, I'll urge the executive that they come back and make a statement to the House to put the record straight," Nalumango said.
On Sikota's statement asking whether or not it was not against the tradition of the House for Mpombo to doubt Dr Chituwo's statement, Nalumango said the matter had become an issue of open discussion.
"It would seem that the discussion was not only hinging on the acting leader of government business in the House but it seems like the entire House; maybe that is putting it too broadly. Even the member that brought the point of order is quoted in the same statement (in The Post). So basically, it becomes an issue of open discussion, as a topical issue in the land," said Nalumango.
In his point of order, Sikota said the contradictions involving Cabinet ministers was creating confusion.
"We now have a situation where the nation is thoroughly confused and people are alarmed, to use the words of the Honourable acting Vice-President," said Sikota.
Labels: BRIAN CHITUWO, JOSEPH KATEMA, MWANAWASA
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