MINISTER BREATHES FIRE
...desist from politics of hate, insults
IT is high time we changed in the manner we do politics in this country and desist from hate speech and insults, Health Minister Dr Chitalu Chilufya has challenged politicians.
And Dr Chitalu said political leaders in the country accusing government officials of theft to report to the law enforcement officers if they had facts supporting their allegations unlike running to the media to spread falsehoods.
Speaking in Luanshya when he officially opened a cancer screening clinic at Mwaiseni urban clinic in Roan constituency, Dr. said the crusade by some politicians was aimed at denting and integrity of those in government.
He stated that politics was about uplifting people’s livelihood, respect and upholding the peace that the country has enjoyed for years instead of just ‘yapping’.
“Report all corrupt leaders that you have branded as thieves to the police since you have the evidence of how much has been stolen and not just waking up every morning insulting leaders in office.
“As politicians in this country, let’s change politics of insults and hate speech. Our focus is to uplift the living standards of the people that elected us into office.”
Meanwhile Dr. Chilufya disclosed that cervical cancer was claiming a significant number of women globally and nationally. He said globally statistics indicated that 35,000 women had succumb to cervical cancer every year and in Zambia 1,200 woman died due to cervical cancer annually.
The minister said cervical cancer was a public health threat that had to be overcome.
“Government has crafted a blue print for the control of cancer in the country between 2017 and 2021.This is the first ever national cancer strategic plan.
“We have placed premium on screening, detection and early therapy and beyond that we have put in place mechanisms to treat the outcomes in cervical cancer,” Dr Chilufya said.
Dr. Chilufya said the country had extremely poor incidences of 58 per 100,000 and mortality of 38 per 100,000.
However observed that in the quest to control cancer, the country had posted significant gains having screened over 500,000 women in the year 2017.
He said the Ministry of health had since decentralised cervical cancer screening and 74 cervical screening sites had been opened in the country with over 350 health workers trained in screening.
And speaking at the same event Luanshya Mayor Nathan Chanda said the opening of the clinic in the area proved government’s efforts in attending to health needs of the community.
Mr. Chanda said the country’s economic sustainable development was premised on a healthy population.
He said some political leaders were spreading falsehoods that late President Micheal Sata’s vision had been forgotten but the opening up of such facility proved that his vision still lived on and was being spearheaded by the sitting President.