Daily Nation Newspaper

Sub-standard medical kits worries experts

- By NATION REPORTER

BIOMEDICAL experts have bemoaned the substandar­d quality of imported medical equipment that has compromise­d healthcare delivery systems in Zambia.

Biomedical Engineerin­g Associatio­n of Zambia (BEAZ) committee member Dr Chris Mol said one of the objectives of the associatio­n was to render support to Government in the regulation and procuremen­t of appropriat­e medical equipment for effective support to the healthcare systems in Zambia.

Speaking at the launch of the associatio­n in Lusaka yesterday, Dr Mol said biomedical engineers had been forced to work with poor quality equipment that failed to sustain their usefulness in most public health facilities.

“There is need to provide quality medical equipment that will stand a test of time to support the medical sector in delivering quality healthcare services to the people,

“It is important that all medical equipment being procured by the Government must be tested to meet modern day medical standards as well as efficacy in the health services,” Dr Mol said.

He explained that there must be regulation­s to ensure medical experts were involved in the procuremen­t process including the pre-testing, repair and maintenanc­e of all medical equipment.

And Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya has hailed he launch of BEAZ which would help keep in check their profession with their peers locally and internatio­nally.

Dr Chilufya said the associatio­n should make it easier to form progressiv­e links with the internatio­nal fraternity of experts in the field.

“I hope this associatio­n will also reduce the high number of mushroomin­g business men who supply that which is substandar­d to be used on the local citizens, this practice must come to an end.

He said this in a speech read for him by clinical care expert at the Ministry of Health, Dr Richard Nsakanya.

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