…Pharma expert backs Health Ministry move but warns against losing competent staff
By TROY MUKUPA
Renowned pharmaceutical consultant Obbie Musunga Chomba has backed Government’s decision to reset the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) but has called for a transparent and merit-based recruitment process.
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Chomba was commenting on the announcement by the Minister of Health on the termination of employment contracts for ZAMMSA staff, following findings by the Office of the Auditor General.
In a statement posted on his Facebook page, Chomba described the decision as bold and necessary to restore integrity, accountability and public confidence in the national healthcare supply chain.
He, however, said fairness and due process must be upheld.
“Not everyone whose contract has been terminated is necessarily implicated. There are competent, ethical and hardworking professionals whose experience and institutional knowledge should not be lost because of a blanket restructuring exercise,” Chomba said.
He appealed to Government to ensure that the recruitment process is transparent and competitive, and to consider retaining or redeploying competent professionals where due process allows.
Chomba said an institutional reset must focus on dismantling systemic vulnerabilities and strengthening internal controls, and not merely changing personnel.
