.MUNKOMBWE

By CHILA NAMAIKO –

CONSTRUCTION of the K3.7 million new Choma General Hospital has been completed and Government intends to transform the old hospital into a nursing school.

Southern Province medical officer Jelita Chimyonga said the fully-fledged general hospital, which would be fitted with the state-of-the-art equipment, would provide quality health services.

Dr Chimyonga told Provincial Minister Daniel Munkombwe on Wednesday when he paid a courtesy call on her that the old hospital structures would be turned into a nursing school.

“The new hospital has been completed and now we have plans to turn the old buildings into a nursing school and this will help to increase training on health services in the province,” she said.

The establishment of Choma Nursing School would help decongest Macha Nursing School, situated about 30 kilometres from Choma town along the Namwala Road.

Choma General Hospital senior medical officer Abel Shawa said the office management was currently shifting from the old hospital to the new one, which would be commissioned soon.

He said the new hospital comprised several wards, theatre rooms and other spacious departments.

Dr Shawa commended Government for its efforts in building the long-awaited health institution and assured that it would provide excellent health services to the people.

And Mr Munkombwe told Dr Chimyonga and Dr Shawa to speed up the process of putting the plan in place for the intended establishment of Choma Nursing School.

He said President Michael Sata would not hesitate to source for resources to establish the nursing school which would enhance the on-going infrastructure development in Choma.

Some inspectors in the ministry of health had on several occasions condemned the current facilities at Choma old General Hospital which they alleged posed a danger to both patients and personnel to unfit infrastructure.