Government has not publicized the terms of […]

Government has not publicized the terms of the recently signed United States-Zambia health financing agreement, many are questioning whether the funding is a grant or a loan and how the resources will be protected from possible misuse.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Zambian Business Times-ZBT Dr. Charity Musamba said citizens deserved to understand the details of the agreement, arguing that the public should not have to wait until problems arose to learn the conditions attached to financial arrangements entered into on their behalf.

“We are the ones Government used to access this arrangement. So we deserve to know the details now and not later,” she said.

 Dr. Charity Musamba said the Access to Information Act provided a basis for citizens to seek timely information from Government, particularly on agreements involving resources intended to improve public services.

“If it’s truly a health financing facility and financial agreement, what would there be to hide?” she asked.

She expressed concern about the management of resources in the health sector, noting that Zambia had previously received substantial support from international partners but that questions had arisen over the accountability of some of the funds.

Dr. Charity Musamba said effective measures were needed to ensure that resources provided under the new agreement were properly managed and used for their intended purposes.

She questioned the wisdom of securing additional health financing without first ensuring that adequate safeguards were in place to prevent the misuse of public resources. “It doesn’t help to keep borrowing if the resources are not going to be utilised to address the real problems that people are facing,” she said.

Dr. Charity Musamba said Zambia faced significant challenges in meeting the healthcare needs of its population, making transparency and accountability essential to ensuring that financial support translated into improved services.

 She urged Government to provide the public with clear information about the agreement and explain how the funds would be managed and monitored. Dr. Charity Musamba said greater transparency would help citizens understand the obligations attached to the agreement and assess whether the resources were being used to address the country’s healthcare challenges.

Article  by Karen Ngulube