PF defend the proposed National health scheme

By Francis Maingaila (18.02.18)
The ruling Patriotic Front (PF) has defended the planned introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme saying once enacted into law, it will save the people from depending on their own income when faced with medical conditions.
Member of the Health Committee in ruling PF Central Committee,  Dr. Jonas Chanda told journalists at the PF Interactive Forum on Sunday that 96% of the people in Zambia has no health cover and when faced will medical condition, they are unable to access medical service.
According to Dr. Chanda, the introduction National Health Insurance Scheme stand to benefit all the people including those who do not have health covered.
“The National Health Insurance Schemes is required in Zambia today more than  ever to cover people when faced with an emergency.”
It is for this reason Dr Chanda explained, why the PF want the people of Zambia to support the National Health Scheme which Dr. Chitalu Chilufya took to Parliament for ratification.
Dr. Chanda is of the view that once ratified, the scheme will help the government from losing lots of money funding the health sector.
At the moment, Dr Chanda explained, the health sector is the least funded in the national budget and hence the current challenges being experienced in terms of accessing services.
“The introduction of the health scheme therefore will ease the pressure on the national budget allocated for health.”
It is the considered view of Dr. Chanda that, the health scheme cover will enable people avoid the risk of people suffering great pain due to lack of funds to enable them access health facilities.
He further expressed the need to have a compulsory health insurance scheme because this will help the health sectors additional funding to cover citizens in health situations.
Meanwhile Dr Chanda has proposed the introduction of a new education curriculum that will be more focused of research to enable people become more creative.
At the moment Dr Chanda observed the curriculum is more focused on introducing people the world of reading, writing and doing arithmetics.
“Zambia today need more innovative students that will contribute towards national growth. This can be achieved if the curriculum is change to include the element of research as this will people a chance to be innovative at the early stage.”
Furthermore, Dr Chanda called for the introduction of a National Trade Policy to address the question of trade imbalances in Zambia.
“The National Trade Policy will regulate what Zambia need to imported and also exported. In this way there will be no need of importing things that can be manufactured locally.”
He added that having trade policy will not only protect the economic interest of Zambia but also enable to genuinely produce it own products.