Dr. Chitalu Chilufyawas appointed Zambian Minister of Health by the President of the Republic of Zambia His Excellency Mr. Edgar Chagwa Lungu in September, 2016.
He is successfully leading a transformational agenda focused on the tenets of creating a resilient health system anchored on primary health care approach to achieve universal health coverage.
Previously he served as the Deputy Minister of Health between 2014 and 2016
Immediately after taking office he outlined nine legacy goals for the Ministry of Health from 2017 to 2021:elimination of Malaria; HIV epidemic control; reduce maternal and child illness and death; recruit 30,000 health care workers; Implement the national health insurance scheme and increase insurance coverage; construction of new specialised hospitals and new health facilities; train 500 specialists; halt and reduce the incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases and address Alcohol and Substance Abuse.
In under two years, over 10,000 health workers have been recruited, National Health Insurance Bill enacted by parliament, local training program for specialists started with over 200 in training, approved National Alcohol policy, construction of about 300 health posts around the country, construction of the National Health Training Institute with a 3000 student capacity, upgrading of some level 1 hospitals into level 2 hospitals, construction of regional hubs for improved supply chain management of essential medicines among many transformational changes in the Ministry of Health.
Dr. Chitalu is a graduate of the University of Zambia, School of Medicine. Prior to joining politics, he worked at various levels of management in the health sector mostly in the rural areas of Zambia.
He is currently the elected Member of Parliament for Mansa Central Constituency since 2013 in the Northern part of Zambia.