Member of Parliament for Francistown West Ignatius Moswaane has called on the Minister of Health Dr Edwin Dikoloti to resign citing failure to provide adequate healthcare to the public.
Moswaane recently filed an urgent motion without notice requesting government to set up an independent commission to investigate companies contracted by government to supply medicines.
The motion further wanted the commission to investigate why government has failed to provide medicines to the nation for the past two years and which companies were contracted to supply government with drugs and medicine.
Addressing the media at his Parliamentary offices, Moswaane accused government of contributing to the many deaths across the country.
“We burry our loved ones every week. People are dying of sugar diabetes, stroke, asthma and many other chronic illnesses because the Ministry of Health is failing to provide drugs and medicine,” said Moswaane.
The Francistown West fiery MP said there’s a logical explanation as to why government is failing to provide medicines.
He said government made a decision to open new supply routes in India, instead of using the tried and tested South African supply channel.
“This has resulted in delays, because procurement of pills and medicine is one of the most protected and syndicated industries from, manufacturer, to supplier and all the way to the consumer,” he said.
He said despite having this knowledge government still went ahead to open new routes: “To benefit their friends with tenders.”
“Now we’re here. Government should account for the deaths of our people. People are dying,” charged Moswaane.
“This is mass murder. Our government has blood on the hands,” he said, before calling out Minister Dikoloti to step down.
Meanwhile in his address to the media on Monday Minister Dikoloti said there were no deaths linked to shortage of drugs.
said his Ministry is focusing on people centred and preventative healthcare. He said the biggest challenge the country is facing are lifestyle diseases.
Obesity is a big problem in the country and noncommunicable diseases are the next pandemic,” he said.
Dikoloti condemned assertions by some members of the community that shortage of drugs in hospitals has led to many deaths in the country.
“There’s a process to establish that. You need a pathologist to conduct a postmortem. Stop diagnosing people, it’s not right,” he said.
Dikoloti has further re-assured the nation that his Ministry is working hard to address the status of drugs and medicines in the country.
He revealed that the first consignment comprising mainly cancer medications valued at P1.6 million has been received, while the second batch of cancer medicines has been ordered.
The Minister further said the third consignment of commonly used antibiotics, hypertension, diabetes medicines and other commodities is expected to leave Netherlands this week, while consignments of critical cardiovascular medicines and antibiotics are expected to arrive in two weeks’ time.
