• by IPS Correspondents (lusaka)
• Thursday, December 01, 1994
• Inter Press Service

LUSAKA, Dic 01 (IPS) - THE WORLD BANK AND OTHER WESTERN DONORS HAVE ALWAYS PRODDED AFRICAN GOVERNMENTS TO HASTEN THE PACE OF STRUCTURAL ADJUSTMENT.

BUT A STUDY COMMISSIONED BY THE BANK ITSELF HAS ECHOED CALLS BY HARD-HIT ZAMBIANS TO ACTUALLY SLOW DOWN THE SPEED OF ECONOMIC REFORMS.

A REPORT BY THE RURAL DEVELOPMENT STUDIES AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ZAMBIA RECOMMENDS THAT AMONG OTHER THINGS THE INTRODUCTION OF MEDICAL AND SCHOOL FEES -- ONE OF THE CONTROVERSIAL STEPS TAKEN BY THE GOVERNMENT UNDER ITS ADJUSTMENT PROGRAMME -- SHOULD BE SUSPENDED IN THE COUNTRY'S POOREST COMMUNITIES.

THE UNIVERSITY RESEARCH TEAM WAS COMMISSIONED BY THE WORLD BANK TO ASSESS THE EFFECTS OF ADJUSTMENT AMONG THE RURAL POOR.

ITS FINDINGS PRESENT A STRONG CASE FOR A MORE MEASURED APPROACH TO REFORMS. VILLAGERS IN THE COUNTRY'S REMOTE AREAS WERE BOYCOTTING MEDICAL INSTITUTIONS AND SCHOOLS SINCE USER FEES WERE INTRODUCED, THE RESEARCHERS FOUND.

"A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE DYING IN THEIR HOMES BECAUSE THEY CANNOT AFFORD MEDICAL FEES UNDER THE PRE-PAYMENT SCHEME," JOHN MILIMO, LEADER OF THE RESEARCH TEAM, SAID THURSDAY.

"TRADITIONAL HEALERS HAVE BECOME MORE POPULAR IN SUCH COMMUNITIES BECAUSE THEY HAVE MORE FLEXIBLE PAYMENT TERMS. AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CHILDREN WERE DROPPING OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEIR PARENTS COULD ILL-AFFORD THE RECENTLY INTRODUCED SCHOOL FEES," HE SAID.

THE STUDY ESTABLISHED THAT WORST-HIT AREAS WERE THOSE WHICH HAD SUFFERED PROLONGED DROUGHT AND RECOMMENDED PEOPLE FACING STARVATION BE EXEMPTED FROM PAYING FOR SOCIAL SERVICES.

THE GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT FREDRICK CHILUBA ESTIMATES THAT 300,000 FAMILIES COUNTRYWIDE FACE IMMEDIATE STARVATION FOLLOWING DROUGHT OVER THE PAST TWO SEASONS AND A COLLAPSE OF THE CROP MARKETING SYSTEM.

THE EDUCATION AND HEALTH CHARGES -- IN KEEPING WITH DONOR RECOMMENDATIONS -- HAVE BEEN ROUNDLY CRITICISED BY, AMONG OTHER INSTITUTIONS, CHURCHES, LABOUR MOVEMENT AND OPPOSITION LEADERS AS BEING TOO MUCH TOO SOON.

THE WORLD BANK COMMISSIONED THE UNIVERSITY TO UNDERTAKE THE STUDY IN SEPTEMBER 1993. ITS REPORT IS MEANT TO GUIDE THE BANK IN REVISING ITS PROGRAMMES IN ZAMBIA AND OTHER SUB-SAHARAN COUNTRIES.

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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