.Chituwo

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

THE Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has bemoaned the high number of audit queries at the Ministry of Health.
The Committee has since expressed concern at the trend which it says does not draw confidence from cooperating partners.
PAC chairperson who is also Luena Member of Parliament (MP) Gertrude Imenda said the audit queries had not reduced to the expected levels.
Ms Imenda said considering that the ministry was once involved in a financial scandal in 2009, it was important that it worked on further reducing financial mismanagement.
This was when Ministry of Health Permanent Secretary Davy Chikamata appeared before PAC to answer to audit queries raised in the Auditor General’s (AG) Report of 2013.
“The queries are still substantial. We expect you controlling officer from now onwards to press upon your heads of departments to ensure that accounting documents are well handled or else met out punishment on them,” she said.
Lubasenshi independent MP Patrick Mucheleka said the high number of audit queries was unsatisfactory and had the potential to discourage cooperating partners.
Mr Mucheleka said the image of the ministry was currently dented and more measures needed to be put in place to improve the outlook.
Dr Chikamata said the ministry had undertaken measures to improve financial management and record keeping.
He said it was observed that nursing schools were not capable to execute finances properly and that duty had been taken to the hospitals under which those schools operate.
“We have made some improvements and since the 2009 scandal, some cooperating partners have come back. But I admit, more needs to be done,” Dr Chikamata said.
Mumbwa MMD MP Brian Chituwo wondered why some cases had not been taken to police for investigations.
Chembe MMD MP Mwansa Mbulakulima said some cases highlighted had been handled with a laissez faire attitude.
This was in reference to a Ministry of Health official in Lusaka Province who documented that he had drawn fuel in two cars worth K25,000 and yet the cars were non-runners.
The officer has since been retired in public interest and the money would be taken from his benefits.
PAC members, however, said more had to be done because that was theft that should be reported to police.
Lusaka Province chief medical officer Kennedy Malama said the ministry was of the view that it was more important to replace the public funds.