Africa-Press – Zambia. The Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has implored government to extensively introspect on the reported shortages of drugs in health facilities across the country.
ZMA General Secretary Roy Tolopu said the shortage of drugs in healthy facilities, indicates that the current stock levels of 53.1 percent falls way below the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended stock volume availability of 70 to 80 percent.
He said this in a statement made available to ZANIS in Lusaka today. Dr. Tolopu has since urged government to consider declaring a state of emergency in the health sector in order to invoke disaster management provisions in the procurement of essential drugs and allied substances.
He stated that without an emergent approach to the urgent national matter, many lives may be lost. Dr. Tolopu notes that’s losing lives in such a manner will be counterproductive to the economic gains made by government especially in the last one year.
The Association has meanwhile appealed to law and policy makers and responsible officers in the line ministry to de-politicize the health sector and reflect on the old adage that says a healthy nation is a wealthy nation, and every life matters.
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