ZAMMSA Board Chairperson Anna Chifungula writes…
It’s with deep regret that we inform the nation of a theft of medical equipment valued at K1.6 million kwacha from a ZAMMSA warehouse in Lusaka.
The ZAMMSA board and management is revolted by the fact that unscrupulous individuals would sink so low as to steal medical equipment that is meant for the sick in our hospitals across the nation.
The Warehouse was broken into and the thieves made away with various dental equipment and assorted CT scan accessories worth millions of Kwacha.
The matter has since been reported to the police and other relevant authorities, with the hope that we quickly find the perpetrators and bring them to book.
I must mention that this is not the first break-in that has occurred at this warehouse. The first one was in March 2022 when Equipment valued over K1 million was stolen. This was before we assumed office as a new board and management.
We must be categorical that as ZAMMSA, we shall leave no stones unturned and will work tooth and nail to ensure that we find the people behind this cold-hearted theft. It is the reason that this morning, I led a delegation of the ZAMMSA board, the police and other ZAMMSA members of staff to the scene so that we could physically assess the effect of the theft.
We shall not condone such levels of barbarity and want to warn those involved and any other would be offenders that we have fortified the security around our medical equipment and drugs in our facilities across the nation.
We would like to implore Zambians to be vigilant and be on the lookout for people selling suspicious dental and medical equipment. Do not hesitate to report anything suspicious to the police.
As a precautionary measure, we have decided to immediately move all medical equipment and supplies to our main warehouse, which is more secured.
As a board, we will ensure that medical supplies and equipment do not over stay in warehouses and are quickly distributed to the associated hospitals in the shortest possible time.
It’s unfortunate that some warehouses have been storing equipment from as far as 2018 when there are many hospitals and health facilities that are in dire need of them.
Dr Anna Chifungula,
Board Chairperson,
ZAMM
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