The Continental Leadership Research Institute (CLRI) says the expiring of drugs at a time when various clinics across the country has been lacking essential drugs shows serious leadership vacuum in the nation.

And the Institute has called on Republican President Edgar Lungu to swiftly deal with government employees who have exhibited high levels of contempt towards their duties through negligence.

Reacting to the statement that some drugs expired while in the custody of Medical Stores, Institute Executive Director Paul Mundia Hakoola said those responsible should face the full wrath of the law and be made to account for their negligence which has put citizens at risk.

“As an Institute we want to state that the expiring of drugs at a time were the Nation in many parts of the country has no essential drugs shows the serious leadership vacuum in our country and as an Institute we call upon the President of the Republic of Zambia, President Edgar Chagwa Lungu to ensure that he takes responsibility of the people who are working under the executive,” he said.

He explained that there are so many senior officials and high ranking government officials who are supposed to ensure that the interest of government is protected to even have such a situation in one of the most important sectors of the country.

“This issue whereby we have Directors, we have Ministers, we have even the Permanent Secretary, we even have inspectors at the ministry of health they are supposed to ensure that purchase drugs that are far from expiring. They are supposed to inspect those drugs and ensure that no drugs get expired before being distributed to the intended users,” he said.

He noted that Zambians are now scared of visiting health centres for medical attention because they are skeptical of the drugs they will be given further wondering in whose interest those charged with responsibilities to over see the institution are acting for if not the people of Zambia.

“The question we ask as an Institute is that in who’s interest are these people working for if they are not working in the best interest of the Zambian people. We believe that anyone who is employed in the government is working for and on behalf of the Zambian people but what they are exhibiting to us is most unfortunate. People are now afraid of going to the hospital because they don’t know the kind of medicine they are going to find.

“We need to redeem the health sector because a healthy Nation is a Wealthy Nation, we cannot have a sector were people go to the hospital and they are not guaranteed of having quality access to health, quality medicine not because medicine is not there but because of irresponsible people that have decided not to ensure that they do their duties,” he said.