The Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) has called for increased pharmaceutical funding and the recruitment of more pharmacists and pharmacy technologists in the 2027 National Budget to improve medicine management in public health facilities.
PSZ president Emmanuel Katai Mulenga said the sector hoped the allocation would increase from the reported K6.4 billion to more than K8.4 billion, noting that although funding had increased over the years, employment of pharmaceutical professionals remained low.
Speaking in an interview with Zambian Business Times -ZBT, Mulenga said more qualified personnel were needed to ensure medicines were properly handled, stored and dispensed, particularly in rural health facilities.
“We expect that this amount will also be increased above that amount,” he said, referring to the pharmaceutical allocation.
He said increased funding should be accompanied by stronger accountability systems to safeguard medicines and address supply-chain challenges, including concerns over missing consignments and contracts awarded to unregistered pharmaceutical suppliers.
“We can only protect these commodities once we have qualified people who are handling them,” Mulenga said.He expressed hope that proposed reforms at the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMSA), including separating procurement from storage, warehousing and distribution, would improve the management of pharmaceutical supplies and ensure public resources translated into better access to medicines.
Article by Karen Ngulube.
