Minister of Health asked to resign

 The Church and Society Programme of the CCAP Blantyre Synod has asked Minister of Health Khumbize Kandodo Chiponda to step down over shortage of essential drugs in some public hospitals on her watch.

In a statement released on Friday signed by Church and Society Programme executive director Master Jumbe, the programme said on Chiponda’s watch, some public health facilities have not been supplied with their requested drugs for a year; hence, she should resign.

Reads the statement in part: “Guided by our mandate to contribute to the creation of a vibrant and God-fearing society that upholds the fundamental principles of human rights, good governance, democracy and peaceful coexistence. We are calling for the immediate resignation of the minister for sleeping on her job.

Chiponda: Let them look at it objectively

“We are equally calling upon the President Lazarus Chakwera to walk his talk by dropping out from Cabinet all underperforming ministers.”

Jumbe adds in the statement that Chiponda has also failed to provide solutions to challenges facing her ministry.

He said if she does not resign, the organisation will request an audience with the President to force him to fire her.

But in an interview yesterday, Chiponda said the organisation was entitled to its opinion.

She said she was yet to receive the formal demand to her to resign from Church and Society Programme of CCAP Blantyre Synod.

However, the minister asked the organisation to look at the situation objectively

Said Chiponda: “We have to understand that it is not the minister who buys the drugs. There is a set system involving different arms of government. We are trying to find out why this problem persists.

“Asking for the head of the minister [to resign] will not solve anything because the situation should be looked at holistically and we need to be discussing how we can resolve the problem and not pointing fingers.”

Church and Society Programme was established in 1999 as an advocacy desk of Blantyre Synod on issues of human rights, governance and democracy.

It seeks to contribute to the creation of a vibrant and God-fearing society that upholds the fundamental principles of human rights, good governance, co-existence and democracy.

Related Articles

Back to top button