A special study that claimed there are no medications in hospitals was rejected by the Parliament.
Christopher Kalila, a member of parliament from Lukulu East, highlighted some of the difficulties facing the health sector in his motion.
The Special Report of the Committee on Health, Community Development and Social Services on the Availability of Medicines and Medical Supplies in Health Facilities, Countrywide was presented to Parliament, and Dr. Kalila urged it to adopt it.
However, the report was defeated when 66 Members of Parliament opposed it and 38% supported it.
The report, according to opposition-side lawmakers, was flawed since it did not provide a complete picture of what is happening in healthcare institutions.
Munir Zulu, a member of parliament for Lumezi, claimed that the report was flawed because it failed to describe the availability of medical supplies as it actually existed.
BwanaMkubwa Warren Mwambazi, a member of parliament, also criticized the government for canceling contracts for medical supplies, saying that the government should have established specific mechanisms to ensure that medical supplies are uniform before canceling the contracts that were deemed to be inappropriate.
However, lawmakers who supported the report claimed that the other side lacked the right to criticize it because during their administration, many donors even departed the nation due to corruption.
Additionally, Sylvia Masebo, the health minister, stated that medical supplies were now 30% available, an improvement from the past.
“I am saddened because this report was even leaked out before it was presented here and this shows that it is politics. This report missed a good opportunity to help me and my Ministry to improve. I have never said the situation is good. What I objected to is for someone to say there is no availability of drugs, that is not true. When we took office, we were at 30 percent and what is desirous is for us to be at 70 percent as recommended by WHO,” she said.
Meanwhile, Parliament has since adjourned sine die.
