THE Zambia Medical Association (ZMA) has charged that the country is not short of highly specialized health expertise, innovation or good leadership to provide first-class health services.
Commenting on a statement attributed to President Hakainde Hichilema extending an invitation to investors from India to set-up first class hospitals in Zambia, ZMA sectretary general Kaumba Tolopu said the country rather needs infrastructure, equipment, healthcare financing, essential drugs, medical supplies and motivation.
He said Association is concerned that if not contextualized, the good spirited and what is believed to be a well-intended invitation has potential to be misconstrued.
“We are convinced that given the right support and incentives the newly modernized and super-specialized local facilities are capable of rising to the occasion to offer “first-class” medical services in both the public and private sector.
To underscore this point, we would like to remind the citizenry, policymakers and stakeholders at large that when the world closed their borders as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the available human capital under very difficult circumstances kept the nation safe,” Dr Tolopu said.
He said the association remains hopeful that through the engagements, the country will attract the right foreign direct investment that places the Zambian at the heart of any potential future business ventures, health or otherwise, in order to retain revenue within the country and empower the population.
He said ZMA is looking forward to engaging the Head of State on matters of public health importance.