By DELPHINE ZULU –
THE opposition United Party for National Development (UPND) has said it will build a healthy nation by re-allocating funds to critical areas that are fundamental to the well-being of the country such as water and sanitation.
UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema said people were still dying from treatable diseases on a daily basis because they could not access clean water, cholera outbreaks, while in the rural areas people were sharing water with livestock because there were no alternative sources.
Mr Hichilema said his party planned to raise the standard of care through supporting healthcare workers and bringing care closer to communities through extension services by environmental health technicians and telemedicine.
“Under our watch spending on health will be for the benefit of the majority, not just a few well-connected individuals, because building a healthy nation is a key stepping stone on the path to a united, prosperous and equitable Zambia,” he said
Mr Hichilema said to ensure plans were achieved, his party would tackle corruption and cut spending on wasteful items, such as frequent by-elections and big budget international travel seen currently.
He said his party would also re-evaluate the amount spent on VIP healthcare abroad, which was recently revealed to total an average of K3.6 million per person.
