‘Health key to economic growth’

By MAILESI BANDA HEALTH is key to economic development, hence the need for the retail sector to embrace the national HIV/AIDS guidelines, Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry, permanent secretary Kayula Siame has said.

Ms. Siame said for Zambia to attain economic growth, there was need to promote good health by having available health services to the retail sector which remained the fastest growing sector in the country.

Speaking when she launched the national launch of the HIV/ AIDS retail guidelines in Lusaka yesterday, she said having a healthy and productive workforce was part of the Seventh National Development Plan.

“We all know that to attain economic growth we need to promote good health among the key economy players and the retail sector is important in this attainment,” Ms. Siame she said.

She also said there was need for the private sector to continue working together with the public sector in order to fight HIV/ AIDS which had led to low productivity in key sectors of the economy.

She said that the retail sector was important in stimulating and implementing the economic growth of Zambia.

She noted that the guidelines would stimulate growth in the economy.

And International Labour Organisation, director Alexio Mushindo said the guidelines would help stimulate growth in the economy adding that the guidelines launch was aimed at stimulating participation in health care delivery.

Mr. Mushindo said the guidelines were part of the sectorial programme of action that highlighted a road map for the roll out and implementation of the guidelines in different regions of the country and workplace.

Meanwhile, Lusaka mayor, Wilson Kalumbi said a healthy work place contributed to business development and the economic growth of a country.