Mr. Jerome Kanyika’s Media Statements and Activities
By A/Chair of the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia Council
psz.zambia@gmail.com
Friday 24th APRIL 2020
THE Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia (PSZ) wishes to distance itself from Mr. Jerome Kanyika’s Press Statement condemning the use of cloth face masks as published by different media houses. His statements and stated opinions DO NOT represent the views of the Society.
While PSZ respects the rights of its members to represent their own points of view, PSZ hereby makes this statement to dispel any connotation that his opinions were made in his capacity as President of the PSZ.
We consider that his stated opinion goes against the professional and ethical responsibility to express and propagate only that which is scientifically sound and in public health interest.
The PSZ is a body of highly trained health professionals who subscribe to professional and medical ethics including evidence-based practice.
We want to use the opportunity of this statement to support the guidance provided by the Zambia National Public Health Institute and expressed by the Minister of Health Dr. Chitalu Chilufya and advocate for the use of face masks by all people when in public places.
This is a scientifically sound measure to protect against the coronavirus, along with other practices such as hand washing, social distancing and isolation of those who are exposed and affected including the use of fabric cloth masks.
PSZ wishes to distance itself from all activities on the social media page of Mr. Kanyika Jerome – the said being purely his personal accounts which do not represent the views of the Society.
The PSZ Council has now instituted immediate corrective and disciplinary actions against Mr. Jerome Kanyika for his conduct that has the potential of jeopardizing the hard-fought gains in the fight against the pandemic. In this regard any external engagements with Mr. Jerome Kanyika will be deemed to be in his individual capacity and not the Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia.
Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia urges all its members to act in a manner which strengthen national efforts to defeat the coronavirus pandemic.
Pharmaceutical Society of Zambia
