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The Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA) Board has suspended Director-General, Victor Nyasulu, with immediate effect.
Dr. Lisulo Walubita, acting ZAMMSA Board Chairperson, stated that the suspension relates to the discovery of 61 containers of assorted medicines and medical supplies at a private depot in the Makeni area of Lusaka.
In a statement issued on Thursday, Walubita expressed the Board’s deep regret over the incident.
“The Board would like to assure the general populace that ZAMMSA operations and its servicing of all public health facilities will not be affected,” Walubita assured.
Health Minister Sylvia Masebo, in a Ministerial Statement to Parliament on Wednesday, announced that investigations had been launched into alleged gross mismanagement and potential criminal negligence in the acquisition of medicines at ZAMMSA.
Masebo revealed that the government signed a contract in August 2023 with the Unified Procurement Authority of Egypt, which included cost insurance and freight to the ZAMMSA yard.
The first delivery, received in October 2023, arrived without additional charges via air freight to Kenneth Kaunda International Airport.
Under the bulk procurement agreement, ZAMMSA received a second shipment of 16 containers in January 2024, including IV fluids and syringes.
However, these were not offloaded at ZAMMSA but taken to a private depot, J and J, in Makeni.
The 16 containers remained at the depot until last week.
In April 2024, ZAMMSA received a third consignment of 20 containers, with only 13 offloaded at ZAMMSA and 7 diverted to J and J. In June 2024, a fourth consignment of 38 containers also bypassed the ZAMMSA warehouse, going directly to J and J.
Read More: Govt probes mismanagement in medical supplies agency, suspects criminal negligence
Masebo highlighted that of the 74 containers received, only 13 were offloaded at ZAMMSA, with the remaining 61 still at the J and J depot until Friday, July 12, 2024, when the Ministry of Health intervened.
The containers are now being transported from the J and J depot to ZAMMSA using Zambia National Service trucks, an operation expected to take 10-15 days.
Masebo noted that transportation delays in Beira, Chirundu, and at the ZAMMSA warehouse contributed to the issue.
Upon full review, it was alleged that gross mismanagement and negligence, bordering on criminality, occurred, and the matter had been reported to law enforcement agencies.
Additionally, Masebo stated that the procurement of health center kits was completed, with Mission Pharma identified as the supplier.
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