. Chilufya

By CHRISTINE MWAABA –
GOVERNMENT has expressed concern at the slow pace at which 88 health posts on the Copperbelt are being built.
Health Deputy Minister, Chitalu Chilufya said it was unacceptable that only nine out of the 88 health posts earmarked for the province had been completed.
The 88 are part of the 650 health centres the Government was building to take healthcare services closer to the people.
He said this when he paid a courtesy call on Copperbelt Minister, Mwenya Musenge this week.
Dr Chilufya said he was not happy especially that the Copperbelt was not different from Lusaka where factors like distance to health centres or lack of equipment could be a setback.
“We need to double the efforts so that the 88 health posts begin to be operational as early as possible,” he said.
He said the delay in completing the construction of the health posts in the province was frustrating Government’s efforts.
The deputy minister said the  Government would soon issue a comprehensive statement on how best it would work with contractors building the health posts.
Mr Musenge appealed to Dr Chilufya to ensure that the contractors were pushed to complete the facilities in the province.
Meanwhile, a medical officer in Mansa has said a health post which was being built in the area by the Government would help improve maternal health.
Mansa medical officer, Kennedy Kabusa said he was happy with the health post located in Fiyongoli area in Mansa.
He said people in the area walked more than five kilometres to access health services at the nearest health centre.
Dr Kabusa said the health post which was under construction would improve maternal and child health and reduce the number of deaths due to  various health and medical complications.
He said the health posts being built by the Government were a positive step in offering adequate healthcare to  the people.