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Results from the Waco COVID Survey have provided needed insights into how the dynamics of COVID-19 transmission, health behaviors and COVID-19-related attitudes changed across the first two years of the pandemic in the McLennan County, Texas.

It is highly cynical, deceptive and a mark of total disrespect to the nation for Health Minister sylvia Masebo to ascribe the current Ministry of Health shambles and shortage of drugs to medical personnel, whom she has accused of stealing drugs.

There is absolutely no logical connection between health workers owning pharmacies near the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), to the countrywide shortage of drugs which is a result of sheer incompetence.

The indignation by doctors is therefore understandable and must be taken seriously by the government because demonising the cadre of doctors and other medics who have endured drug and equipment shortages is incompetence and inability for the political leadership to appreciate the depth of their own short falling is a task they have had to bear, for nearly two years.

It is common knowledge that some doctors have been forced to spend their own money to help desperate patients pay for prescriptions which they could not afford. Therefore Ms Masebo is abusing rather disingenuously the effort of many people including donor situations that have come to the aid of government to ameliorate the drug crisis that has already cost this country many lives.

It is quite clear that spending US$120 million buying drugs from Egypt, which could be bought in Zambia is an investment in irregularity, which will only create an even more critical drug shortage.  Because the Zambian government will pay the Egyptian commission, which could have been paid here in Zambia at an even lower rate, meaning that for the same amount that the Zambian government has paid to Egypt, we are going to receive less drugs than would have been the case if they had engaged local suppliers.

This is not rocket science.  It is simple arithmetic and yet the Ministry stubbornly insists on 3rd party procurement.

We expect that the auditor general will have something to say because the extra money we are spending in Egypt could have been used to repair vital diagnostic equipment which is not working in our public hospitals, forcing patients to seek private sector service.

Our advice to Ms Masebo is to let her continue her flamboyant displays on television and other media in the hope that she can impress those who do not suffer the serious shortages and lack of service that ordinary Zambians are having to bear.

This programme is not new.  As early as March 2022 the Resident Doctors Association led by Brian Sampa complained about the dire situation involving the critical shortage of essential drugs and supplies that had hit the public health system, with most public health facilities completely running out of stock.

Dr. Sampa, at the time said it had become difficult for his members to deliver health care as some of the delivery institutions  had run out of supplies, even such essentials as wool, gloves, needles and rapid diagnostic tests including batteries for BP machines and specimen bottles had run out.  This is not to mention the perpetual breakdown and non-delivery of catheters, CT machines.

More recently the Zambia Medical Association General Secretary Dr. Roy Tolopu indicated that the current 53.1 stock level fell well below the 70-80 percent.

Sadly it was Ms Masebo who lied on the floor of Parliament about drug availability.  She even forced the Vice President Mutale Nalumango to undertake an equally spurious visit to hospitals in Lusaka to suggest availability of drugs.  Sadly you cannot hide the fact of patients needlesly dying from a lack of drugs and no amount of propaganda will change the situation.

Zambians know what would have happened if Dr. Kaunda was in power.

By MICHAEL MIYOBA

The Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) says winning is not the only focus for developmental teams such as the Under-17 national team which must be give a more rounded developmental trajectory.

FAZ president Andrew Kamanga said it was unfortunate that the Under-17 were eliminated from the Under-17 AFCON in Algeria.

Kamanga said it was painful for the under-17 lads as they showed some strong mentality to overcome table toppers Morocco. 

“Unfortunately, our best chance in qualifying lay in having done better in the first two fixtures,” Kamanga said. 

“However, for developmental teams winning is not the only focus as we must give them a more rounded developmental trajectory. There is enough positivity in the team that we can work with going forward. There are a few more international opportunities for junior teams which will be rolled out as the year progresses,” Kamanga said.

Kamanga said FAZ will continue with its tradition of ensuring that the junior teams participate in high level youth tournaments like the Croatia invitational and the Geogia UEFA Youth tournament. 

“Part of the progress seen in some of the players in that project are as a result of exposure they got in those youth tournaments at under-15 level,” he said.

Kamanga said FAZ will not relent in upskilling coaches for various national teams.

He said FAZ will take advantage of its Memorandum of Understanding with the Moroccan counterparts and send sending under-17 coach Ian Bakala to Morocco for a CAF A licence course that commences this week. 

“Coach Bakala will be on that program with Green Buffaloes trainer Masautso Tembo who is already in that country. This is on top of the other two slots for the CAF Pro License where we will send Wedson Nyirenda and Copper Queens gaffer Bruce Mwape,” Kamanga said.

He said there is no substitute for knowledge in coaching especially with fast changing dynamics propelled by technology. 

Kamanga said FAZ remain on course to set up the coaching school through its Memorandum of Understanding with the Croatia Football Federation to widen the beneficiary pool.

 THE Ministry of Defence has warned that it will not condone politicians putting the name of the defence force into disrepute for any political expediency. Ministry of Defence Ambrose Lufuma has since echoed a warning to Economic and Equity Party (EPP) leader Chilufya Tayali who went on a ranting spree last week accusing the defence […]

By SHARON ZULU

Many women do not want to associate themselves to politics because they see it to be a dirty game, UPND Chikankata Member of Parliament Jacqueline Sabao has said.

Ms Sabao said, very few women especially in Zambia who are willing to participate in politics because of the perception they have.

She said, this is why the Beijing declaration of having more women in politics is not being achieved. The lawmaker said, there is need to educate more women on how politics works for them to have interest.

“For sure the declaration was made but it is a process for it to be achieved.

In 2016 the number of women who participated in politics was higher but in 2021 the number reduced and there is a reason to that. “When you talk about women and men there is also an issue of capacity and availability on which ticket to contest on. And most of the women what they say is that politics is a dirty game. We have very educated women in this country but when you share with them about them having interest to be in politics they don’t accept,” she said.

Ms Sabao said, women should understand that politics is not a dirty game but a branch of science that drive the economy and social life of society.

She said, this is an important branch which people need to respect it has an impact on the wellbeing of every individual.

She said, women must change the perception and participate in politics so that the Beijing declaration can come to fruition.

Zambia has joined other countries and regional bodies in securing the peace and stability necessary and a prerequisite to the growth and welfare of the region, Defence Minister Ambrose Lufuma has announced.

Mr Lufuma made the announcement when he attended the 11th High Level Meeting of the Regional Oversight Mechanism (ROM) Summit of the Peace, Security, and Cooperation (PSC) Framework for the Democratic Republic of Congo in Bujumbura. Mr Lufuma said President Hakainde Hichilema had been concerned with instability in some parts of the region and had always insisted that instability anywhere was instability everywhere. He said this was the spirit under which the President Hichilema and Commander in Chief of the Defense Force of Zambia had assigned to attend the meeting.

Mr Lufuma said it was vitaully important that the region maintained and lived in peace and stability as the lack of peace, security and stability impacted negatively on economic growth and development of both the region and individual countries. 

He said the purpose of the meeting was to review recent developments in the region as well as progress and challenges in the implementation of the PSC Framework, 10 years after its signing on 24th February, 2013 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. 

The 11th High level meeting of the ROM of the PSC Framework for DRC and the Region was attended by Several Heads of State and Governments including South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa, DRC’s Tshisekedi Tschilombo, Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni, and the host President of the Republic of Burundi, Evariste Ndayishimiye. 

Other countries that atternded the meeting included Angola, Central African Republic, Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Sudan and the United Republic of Tanzania. 

President Hakainde Hichilema has not been an inspiration to his Ministers and many of his appointees for them to follow through his vision and firing them would not be a solution to the challenges the UPND government is facing to govern the country, Wynter Kabimba SC has said.

Health Minister Sylvia Masebo has angered doctors and other medical workers for accusing them of being thieves who are in the business of stealing medicines and stocking private pharmacies.

PRESIDENT Hakainde Hichilema has assured the international community that Zambia is committed to fighting past, present and future corruption if the vice has to be irradiated as it has been a cancer that had been frustrating the economic progression of the country.

 AN act of seductive ‘twerking’ has led to the death of a 32-year-old woman of Kabwe who was beaten to death by her polygamous husband. Gift Hamunyati, 42 is believed to have gone to a tarven with his two wives, Silvia Nachula, the now deceased and another. However, during the drinking spree outing, one of […]