Figures on medicines availability not enough
By Tony Nkhoma
GOVERNMENT’S claim of improvement drug availability in public health facilities across the country does not represent the situation on the ground, the Alliance for Accountability Advocates Zambia (AAAZ) has said.
AAAZ executive director Luchembe Chilufya said drug availability must be provided with detailed and verified data to the public and not by political announcements.
“While today’s presidential stocktaking meeting suggests progress, the lack of open, community- verified reporting creates a credibility gap that must be urgently addressed. Citizens across the country, especially in rural and high-volume urban clinics, still report challenges accessing essential drugs. These ground-level experiences must be taken seriously and factored into national claims of success,” Chilufya said,”
In a statement, Chilufya said drug availability and progress must not be measured in percentages but in people’s life experience.
He said citizens across the country especially in rural and high-volume urban clinics still faced huge challenges accessing essential drugs.
Chilufya said these ground-level experiences must be taken seriously and factored into national claims of success.
“AAAZ therefore urges the Ministry of Health and the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency to provide a breakdown of the 80.5 percent drug availability statistic, clearly indicating which regions and which categories of medicines are now consistently available,” Chilufya said.
He said the steps taken should not be optional but essential to rebuilding trust, protecting the gains made and ensuring that no citizen was left behind.
Chilufya said the United States (US) Government’s suspension of aid to the health sector exposed deep cracks in the drug supply chain, prompting national audits and promises of reform.
“It is important to remember the broader context. Just two months ago, in May 2025, the United States government suspended critical health aid to Zambia, citing systemic theft and misuse of donated medicines,” he said.
He said numbers without transparency and accountability offered limited reassuance to communities who continue to face gaps in accessing life-saving medication.
Chilufya challenged the Government to publicly release the forensic audit report into drug theft and provide a clear update on how it intended to sustain the US aid cut.
“To date, however, the forensic audit findings have not been made public, and there is little clarity on how many individuals particularly at senior levels have been held accountable for these failures,” said Chilufya.
