Stop meddling in ZAMMSA issues, govt urged
By Tony Nkhoma
CORRUPTION at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) cannot end because of government’s continuous interference, the Medicines Research and Access Platform (Medrap) has said.
Medrap national director Liyoka Liyoka warned government against the illegal recruitment of politically exposed management staff at the agency.
“The Medicines Research and Access Platform [Medrap] has warned that persistent governance failure at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency [ZAMMSA] is fueling corruption and undermining public access to essential medicines,” Liyoka said
In a statement seen by The Mast, he said interference by the Ministry of Health in the running of an institution which should operate independently was the root cause of corruption.
Medrap was worried about the deepening crisis at ZAMMSA.
“The Act [law] mandates the minister to appoint a board of directors, which is responsible for recruiting the director general and senior management, not the ministry itself or any other government minister,” Liyoka said.
He said any appointment made outside the laid down procedure was illegitimate and would not restore public confidence in the institution.
Liyoka demanded an end to the current recruitment practice by allowing the board to carry out its lawful mandate.
He said the Ministry of Health had worsened the crisis by interfering in the recruitment of the directors general.
“We urge whistle-blowers and citizens with additional evidence of malpractice at ZAMMSA to present it to law enforcement as accountability is key to restoring integrity in the institution,” Liyoka said.
He, however, commended law enforcement agencies for acting on the forensic audit on ZAMMSA.
“Zambians deserve an agency that protects their access to medicines, not one crippled by corruption and political interference,” Liyoka said.
He said the audit report had exposed serious governance lapses.
