By JULIUS PHIRI –

. Kasonde

HEALTH Minister Joseph Kasonde has said Government is committed to strengthening primary health care in rural areas.
He said this when he paid a courtesy call on Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo in Chipata yesterday.
Dr Kasonde said the Ministry of Health had identified primary health care as one of the priority areas in rural areas.
The minister also expected high level performance in the primary health care across the country.
“Primary health care is vital because it is closer to the community so as the ministry of Health, we are committed to strengthening it,” he said.
Dr Kasonde was pleased that he was in Eastern Province to officially open Katambo health post.
He said the European Union (EU) had provided more than US$ 4 million to the health sector which was so far bearing fruit.
And Mr Kasolo said the provincial administration should be engaged by the ministry headquarters in the tendering procedure to ease supervision on health projects.
He said supervision of works had become difficult because of the tendering procedure which was done in Lusaka.
Mr Kasolo said the provincial administration would not allow contractors to be paid without physical verification of the works.
He said it was disappointing to note that some contractors had failed to perform according to expectations.
Mr Kasolo was also happy that the ministry of Health had tremendously improved and transformed itself during the stewardship of Dr Kasonde.
He was elated that Chipata General Hospital had been elevated to a central hospital which was a big milestone.
Mr Kasolo said the development was as a result of President Lungu and his administration’s determination to improve the health sector in the country.