Isaac Zulu
Economic Front party president Wynter Kabimba has described the pronouncement by health minister Sylvia Masebo that the health workers that government will soon be recruiting will include mortuary attendants, drivers and cleaners as ridiculous, and a ploy to employ their cadres.
Speaking when he featured on Millennium Radio programme dubbed: “The Interview,” on Wednesday, Kabimba charged that the decision to include drivers and cleaners in the recruitment of health workers is a ploy by the UPND government to employ party cadres as classified daily employees in the public service.
“How can you say that drivers and cleaners will be among the 11,200 health workers that government will be recruiting? Since when did a driver become a health worker? I find this statement by the minister of health to be ridiculous. It is ridiculous! We know that this is a ploy by the UPND government to employ party cadres as classified daily employees in the public service,” said Kabimba.
Kabimba stressed that under the UPND administration, “the country’s health system has crumbled.”
He also said that there are no essential drugs in public health facilities, including ARVs.
Kabimba stated that the problem of shortage of drugs in public health facilities is emanating from the fact that the UPND government has terminated contracts for suppliers of medicines “because they believe that those suppliers of drugs are connected to the Patriot Front.”
He said the people that are now feeling the pain are ordinary Zambians who cannot afford to seek specialist medical treatment abroad.”
“People used to die of AIDS a long time ago. But today people in Zambia are dying from AIDS when in fact people can live for years while on ARVs, provided these drugs are readily available. People are dying because there are no dialysis machines and consumables in hospitals. It is about morality and integrity. The new dawn government should walk the talk,” charged Kabimba.
And Kabimba has said that the confusion that has characterised mining activities at the famous Black Mountain have been created by the UPND administration.
He explained that the Patriot Front government ensured that mining activities at the slag dump were done in an orderly manner.
Kabimba stated that instead of “just making a lot of noise and engaging in cheap propaganda, mines and minerals development minister Paul Kabuswe must show leadership and ensure that sanity is restored at the Black Mountain.”
“For Heaven’s sake, for once, the minister of mines should swallow his pride and do the right thing at the right time,” added Kabimba.
