The Minister of Health, Dr. Alex Katakwe, has taken decisive administrative action to restore integrity, transparency, and public confidence in the operations of the Zambia Medicines and Medical Supplies Agency (ZAMMSA).

These urgent efforts aim to enhance efficiency and accountability within the national medicines supply system, following growing concerns surrounding governance and procurement practices at the agency.

In a significant move, Dr. Katakwe immediately revoked the appointment of Keegan Mwape, President of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia, as a Board Member of ZAMMSA.

This decision was described as both lawful and necessary, with the Minister emphasizing his mandate to ensure efficiency and accountability.

The ministry has since requested the Pharmaceutical Society to nominate a new representative, aligning with ZAMMSA's governing legislation.

To further strengthen oversight and facilitate thorough investigations, several senior officials within ZAMMSA have also been suspended with immediate effect.

These include Acting Director of Procurement Justin Milimo, Acting Manager for Medicines Diana Musa, Senior Procurement Officer Brian Munoka, and Acting Director of Planning Rachel Msimuko.

These suspensions are part of broader corrective measures, affecting leadership roles across procurement of medicines, procurement of goods, supply planning, warehousing and distribution, inbound logistics, and quality assurance.

The suspensions are intended to pave the way for unhindered administrative and investigative processes, with acting officials appointed to ensure operational continuity.

Dr. Katakwe has called upon investigative bodies, including the Drug Enforcement Commission and the Anti-Corruption Commission, to probe the matters concerning the suspended officers and ensure that any wrongdoing is addressed in line with the law.

He stressed that the government would not tolerate inefficiency, negligence, or any form of misconduct in the management of essential medicines and medical supplies, reiterating that their availability is a non-negotiable national priority.

Despite these sweeping changes, Dr. Katakwe assured the public that there would be no disruption in the distribution of medicines.

Systems are being reinforced to ensure transparency, reliability, and efficiency, thereby strengthening service delivery so that every clinic, health center, and community in the country continues to receive essential medical supplies on time.

Upholding accountability and reinforcing efficiency within ZAMMSA remains critical to safeguarding Zambia's health system.