By Dr Brighton Chireka.
Dr Timothy Stamps former Minister of Health and Child care has passed on. May I express my deepest condolences to his family and the country at large.
In 1990 he was appointed as Minister of Health and Child Welfare – a position he held until 2002.
I remember him for his position on the issue of HIV/AIDS. Dr Stamps could speak out on various matters that other politicians would exercise caution over.
For example, his predecessor as Health Minister had dismissed the AIDS epidemic as a fiction invented by the media to cause panic.
In an interview in 1996, Stamps commented that:
“Ministers have tended to shy away from the issue because it is seen as contaminated. AIDS activity by government is not seen as politically beneficial, since it may offend conservative religious and traditional groups and somehow attracts a stigma. There are no votes in talking about AIDS. Only lost votes.”
The late Member of Parliament Sydney Malunga accused Dr Stamps of being alarmist; “Talking too much (about AIDS), wastes too much time and chases tourists away. When tourists see the figure of 400 000 about to die of AIDS, how do you hope to attract tourists into the country?”
I am happy that he has passed on when we can now freely talk about HIV and it is no longer a death sentence but a chronic condition that can be managed.
May His Soul Rest In Peace ! We will carry on speaking out about issues concerning our health.
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