Zambia UK Health Workforce Alliance & Zambia Ministry of Health Conference CURRENT HEALTH BILLS/ACTS & RESTRUCTURING OF THE ZAMBIAN HEALTH SERVICE WITHIN MINISTRIES Maynard Theatre, The Kings Fund, 11 13 Cavendish Square, London London, 8 th May 2013
INTRODUCTION Outline of Presentation RESTRUCTURED HEALTH SERVICES LEGISLATION IN USE Radiation Protection Act (Regulations) 2006 Health Professions Act (Regulations) 2011 Occupational Health and Research Act 2011 Tropical Diseases Research Centre Act 2011 National Health Research Act 2013 Medicines and Allied Substances Act, 2013 Zambia Flying Doctor Service Act 1976 LEGISLATION IN PROGRESS Mental Health Bill 2012 Traditional Health Practitioners Bill 2011 Social Health Insurance Fund Bill, 2012 Food and Drugs (Repeal) Bill, 2012 and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill, 2012 Public Health (Amendment) Bill, 2012 Zambia Medical Association Bill 2012 National Health Services Bill, 2012 Tobacco Products Bill 2010 CONCLUSION
1. Higher Level Care 2. Training 3. Policy Oversight 4. Research and Surveillance MINISTRY OF HEALTH (MOH) Curative Care Services Training & Manpower Development Research & Development Specialist & Super Specialist Referrals Develop Health Standards & Guidelines Overall Health Policy Development of Health Tourism Conduct Healthcare Performance Audits Coordination of Health Training facilities
Ministry of Community Development, Mother & Child Health MoCDMCH Primary Health Care District Hospitals, Health Centres, Health Posts and the Community level Community Mobilisation Child Health Services Maternal Health Conduct Outreach Activities & Programmes Provision of integrated services Health Promotions & Health Education Reproductive & Adolescent Health Community Development & Social Welfare
MoCDMCH Integrated Functions: The integrated approach will ensure comprehensive service delivery to the communities Social Welfare Social Cash Transfer Community Development Food Security Pack Women Empowerment NGO Coordination Primary Health Care Note: With the Decentralisation Implementation Plan, all integrated functions at District and below shall be under the Ministry of Local Government and Housing in the District Councils.
Legislation Legislation and regulations have a direct impact on health services and partnerships working There is therefore a need to understand the current and ongoing legislation There is also need to harmonize various pieces of legislation to enhance service delivery
LEGISLATION CURRENTLY IN USE
Radiation Protection Act (Regulations) 2006 The Regulations are meant to protect citizens from any substance which consists of or contains any radioactive chemical element, whether natural or artificial (quantities and limits are provided for) Some radioactive waste generated in industry, research and health sectors may currently stored in provisional, makeshift arrangements Whatever arrangements that do not provide the necessary security and safety required to ensure adequate protection of the general public are supposed to be disposed off
Health Professions Act (Regulations) 2011 Protects and regulates health care professionals/givers current practices Brings the medical practice in tandem with the current medical trends Protects patients from negligence due to malpractice.
Occupational Health and Research Act 2011 Provides for the establishment of health and safety committees at work places Provides for the safety and welfare of persons at work. Provides for the duties of manufacturers, importers and suppliers of articles, devices, items and substances for the use at work Provides for the protection of persons, other than persons at work, against risks to health or safety arising from, or in connection with, the activities of persons at work.
Tropical Diseases Research Centre Act 2011 To provide for the Tropical Diseases Research Centre (The Centre is mandated to ensure that it conducts tropical diseases research and any other prescribed research in line with the Health Research Act and other relevant Acts). The Act establishes the Tropical Diseases Research Board The Act defines the functions and powers of the Board The Act provides for matters connected with or incidental to the foregoing.
National Health Research Act 2013 The National Health Research Act gives legal direction in the area of health research Promoting the basic research, applied research, or translational research conducted to aid and support the body of knowledge in the field of medicine for the evaluation of new treatments for both safety and efficacy in what are termed clinical trials, and all other research that contributes to the development of new treatments. Helps to prevent misuse of opportunities by researchers and loss of valuable information that can benefit the nation in health. Facilitates for preclinical research to elaborate knowledge for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Ensures that medical research done on humans, strictly follow the medical research ethics as sanctioned in the act and any other laws of the country Ensures that the data from research findings is disseminated and used by all citizen in making informed decisions.
Medicines and Allied Substances Act, 2013 Governs the control of medicines for human use and for veterinary use, which includes their manufacture and It defines three categories of medicines: Prescription only medicines and allied substances Pharmacy medicines without a prescription General sales list medicines from any shop without a prescription. The Act also controls supply of the drugs covered under it and defines offences of illegal possession.
Zambia Flying Doctor Service Act 1976 Provides for the establishment, management and development of the Flying Doctor Service and matters incidental to or connected therewith. Combating disease and promoting the health and material well-being of the inhabitants of the rural areas of Zambia through the flying services.
LEGISLATION IN PROGRESS
Mental Health Bill 2012 Provides for respect, autonomy and right to selfdetermination of individuals who have a mental illness or disability or impairment or intellectual disability. It also protects the Mental Health Care Providers and other people from harm. Protects property, regulates patients affairs, treatment, admission to a health facility, and facilitates continuous community care. It promotes mental patients well-being and facilitates for the provision of mental health services in designated prisons.
Traditional Health Practitioners Bill 2011 Given that 8o% of the Zambian public access traditional medicines at one time or the other: This Bill makes provisions for promotion, control and regulation of traditional complementary and alternative medicine practices Also establishes the traditional, complementary and alternative medicines council Provide for matters incidental to or connected to the above
Social Health Insurance Fund Bill, 2012 This Bill is meant: To establish the National Social Health Insurance Authority To provide for the functions and powers of the Authority To provide for contributions to and payment of health care benefits to its contributing members Provide for related matters
Food and Drugs (Repeal) Bill, 2012 and the Food and Drugs (Amendment) Bill, 2012 The proposed Amendment/Repeal of the Act is meant to: Remove sections that are outdated Align the Bill with the Licensing Act and the Medicines and Allied Substances so that there is no duplication of work. Protect the public against health hazards and fraud in the sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics and medical devices Provide for matters incidental thereto or connected therewith.
Public Health (Amendment) Bill, 2012 To provide for the prevention and suppression of diseases To regulate all matters connected with public health in Zambia. To align the Act with the new public health trends and challenges arising in the management of public health issues.
Zambia Medical Association Bill 2012 Establishes the formation of a Council to regulate the Medical Doctors Break away from the Health Professions Council where the medical doctors are certified and regulated at the moment. The doctors shall be protected and regulated in order to bring the practice into tandem with the current trends Protect the patients from harm due to medical negligence
National Health Services Bill, 2012 To address service delivery in the health sector To Provide for the procedures for establishing hospitals, health training institutions and providing quality health care services To define functions and powers of such institutions and their relationship To provide for matters connected to or incidental to the foregoing
Tobacco Products Bill 2010 To domesticate the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) To eliminate illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products - It prohibits children under the age of 18 from buying tobacco and tobacco products from any retail or whole sale outlets. Ensures that manufacturers and sellers should display the harmful signs or dangers of smoking tobacco to health on the packaging materials or on any facility where tobacco is being sold. Provides for the control of smoking in public
Conclusion There are laws and regulations that govern the health sector and what affects the sector There are however some gaps in legislation and these are being currently reviewed The revised legal framework is expected to impact service delivery in the health sector