STUDENTS’ BODY DEFENDS HONEYBEE PHARMACY

INVESTIGATIONS have revealed that Honeybee Pharmacy was duly awarded US$17 million to supply health centre kits under the Ministry of Health, Southern Africa Students and Youth Development Association (SASYDA) Zambia has said.

SASYDA Zambia President, Ibrahim Mwamba, said all the falsehoods reported by some sections of the media over the matter was just aimed at denting the image of the Ministry of Health superintended by Dr Chitalu Chilufya.

Mr Mwamba said investigations revealed that Honeybee Pharmacy, which was a wholly Zambian owned company, was awarded a US$17 million through a transparent and competitive tendering process.

Mr Mwamba told the Daily Nation that it was not true that Honeybee Pharmacy was given a wholesale Pharmaceutical Licence by the Zambia Medicines Regulatory Authority (ZAMRA), despite failing to meet the requirement.

He said SASYDA Zambia was saddened by the propaganda stories, accusing Honeybee Pharmacy of having fraudulently awarded US$17 million contract.

“As a students and youth advocacy association, we took interest in this matter as it touched on the lives of people as well as the integrity of both the Zambian government and those doing business with the Ministry of Health.

“We want to start by stating that Honeybee Pharmacy is a wholly Zambian owned company which was duly awarded the US$17 million contract for the supply of Health Centre Kits under the Ministry of Health, which contract was awarded through a competitive tendering process,” he said.

Mr Mwamba said the tender process happened through open public tendering process involving both local and international participants.

This, he said, was contrary to the claims by ZAMRA Director for Medicines

Control that Honeybee did not meet their inspection conditions for the award of this contract.

Mr Mwamba said the people behind such falsehoods were detractors who were determined to de-campaign the Government and President Edgar Lungu.

He added: “Their aim is to use propaganda and raising of red flag to make donors and other cooperating partners believe something is terribly wrong at the

Ministry of

Health and that government is abating corruption when in fact not.”