.MR. KASONDE

By DELPHINE ZULU –

GOVERNMENT has recorded success in the operations of mobile health services, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde has said.
Dr Kasonde said the mobile health services recorded more than 100 per cent increase in mobile outreach operations and another 25 per cent in the number of patients being attended to through mobile hospitals.
Dr Kasonde said the mobile outreach programme attended to a total of 34,434 patients and conducted 1,746 operations in 18 sites from the previous 25,923 attended to and 693 operations which were conducted.
“The high number this year represented an increase of about 25 per cent in the number of patients seen and more than 100 per cent in the number of operations conducted compared to the same period last year,” he said.
He said the strategic focus in the health sector was to provide equitable access to quality health services with key principles being primary health care approach, good governance and leadership.
Giving an overview on the performance of the health sector during the first quarter, Dr Kasonde said to respond to challenges related to access of quality health in Lusaka, his ministry had demarcated the district into four zones and transformed Matero and Chilenje into District hospitals had advanced.
Dr Kasonde said the contractors for the upgrading of the two health centres had already been selected.
He said the upgrade of Matero and Chilenje health clinics would be completed by August next year and that K92,760,000 had been set aside for construction while K7,968,000 was for the procurement of medical equipment.
He said the construction of the two district hospitals was being supported by the Japanese International Corporation Agency (JICA) and selected contractors were expected to move on site next month and start the works.
He said the zoning had been done to improve on referral systems in the country as each zone would refer patients to the first level hospital in those zones a situation which would help decongest the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) and Levy Mwanawasa General Hospital.
He said zone one with a population of 445,963 consisted of the Airport, Chelstone, Kaunda Square, Chainda, Kalingalinga, Mtendere, St Agness and Ng’ombe, Zone two would be Chazanga, Chipata, Mandevu, Chaisa, Matero Referral, Matero Main and George health centre with a population of 682,783 people.
Zone three had Kanyama, Makeni, Chawama and Lilayi whose population stood at 356,941 while in zone four with a population of 526,477, there was Kamwala, Railway, Civic Centre, Kabwata, Prisons, Chilenje, Bauleni and State Lodge.
Dr Kasonde said in addition, the ministry had already built five theatres in the clinics earmarked to be converted into hospitals which included Kanyama, Chipata, Chelstone apart from those already mentioned, while a modern 2nd level hospital to serve Lusaka West.