By Richard W
SIX REASONS WHY FIRING DR. CHILUFYA IS IMPACTLESS AND COSMETIC
The response by President Lungu to the Honeybee scandal is another proof that as much as Lungu is still hungry for the presidency, he has no interest in leadership. He merely acted to demonstrate his executive orders, but has no interest in the health of Zambians. Here are six things Lungu has failed to do in order to protect people who have been infected and affected by treponema pallidum spirochete (syphilis), bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae (Gonorrhea), human immunodeficiency virus and a possible baby boom!
A proper leader would have done the following
1. FIRE TOP EXECUTIVES AT ZAMRA, MSL AND MOH – Fire all top executives in all institutions involved in the scandal and bring in new people to clean up the mess. As we speak the same murderers are processing their own crime scene by being involved in the recalling of drugs. What happens if more drugs are discovered to be defective? Will these people be honest enough to disclose that? Most likely the MOH, ZAMRA and MSL are now covering up more scandals to try to cut losses of the dwindling reputations.
2. ENGAGE WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION – Lungu needs to engage the WHO to help MOH investigate and assess the extent of the epidemiological risk of various diseases. The WHO most likely has experience in such incidents and for the MOH to pretend to be in control of the situation without the involvement of WHO is pretentious. It is also a responsibility we owe the international community because of the high risk of pandemics involved.
3. PROVIDE FREE TESTING AND CONTRACEPTION TO THE AFFECTED – As soon as the defective medicines, condoms and gloves were exposed a proper government would have announced robust and free viral or bacterial testing for people affected. Contraceptives would have been made available immediately the exposure was discovered. All this would have provided some relief to the population unlike now where people are left to just hope for the least impact without any visible remedial effort from heath authorities.
4. CONDUCT TRANSPARENT MEDICAL INVESTIGATIONS – Lungu has instituted more investigations than any president we have ever had and he has not given feedback in just as many. Unlike most investigations that disappear into forgetfulness, on this one, we need to demand an open medical investigation where the public gets regular updates. People need to know the extent of risk they face in terms of infections. People need to know the side effects of the expired drugs. People need to know the kind of compensation that government will make available. People need to know that the rogue pharmacies and suppliers have been deregistered and unethical doctors’ licenses cancelled.
5. CAGE THE MURDERERS – All those involved in the medical genocide need to be prosecuted and caged. There are no exceptions because they are worse than goat thieves who are currently serving long sentences in prison.
6. STREAMLINE MEDICAL PROCUREMENT – Government should have announced the limitation in the use of middlemen in the supply of drugs. Dealing directly with manufacturers is cheaper and has more guarantees and safety measures. Right now MOH is using inexperienced briefcase middlemen which can only be compared to a surgeon working with a carpenter instead of a nurse in the operating room. We can’t afford to place our lives in the hands of PF cadres.
Richard W