By MOFFAT CHAZINGWA –
THE contractor engaged for construction of nine Health Posts in Chavuma district in North-Western province has moved on site in readiness for commencement of the project.
Chavuma District Commissioner Lawrence Kayumba said Government allocated nine Health Posts for the area.
Mr Kayumba said of the nine Health Posts, five were earmarked for construction on the East Bank, while the West Banks was allocated four.
Mr Kayumba was happy with the contractor for having moved on site to commence the project for construction of the Health Posts, which he said was a big relief to residents particularly those settled on the West Bank of the Zambezi River where access to medical facilities are scarce.
He said people living on the West Bank have had to cross the river to access medical services on the East.
This has proved a big challenge especially for pregnant women seeking antenatal services during times when the Zambezi is flooded causing closure of the pontoon operations.
“It has been a big challenge for people to access medical services on the West Bank because patients have to be ferried on ox-carts all the way to the East Bank via the pontoon across the Zambezi River.
“Last time when operations of the pontoon were suspended because of flooding of the river, we lost three pregnant women because they couldn’t cross to the East Bank for medical attention,” Mr Kayumba said.
The district commissioner was excited particularly that among the four Health Posts allocated to the West Bank, was a maternity wing to cater for pregnant women.
“This is a big relief for the residents especially women living on the West Bank of the Zambezi River who have gone through challenges to access antenatal services,” he said.
Mr Kayumba, however, said there had been challenges for drilling of boreholes on sites for the Health Posts on the West Bank because the contractor engaged for the project could not transport the drilling rigs across the Zambezi River because the equipment was heavy.
He said as a result, the contract ended up only drilling boreholes on sites for the five Health Posts on the East leaving out the sites for those on the West.
“We have however requested the contractor to look for lighter machines for drilling of boreholes on the West Bank and we are hoping he can manage to get back to site to complete the exercise by September, this year,” he said.