• PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu (right) talks to Florence Chalwe who gave birth to a girl ‘Christmas’ baby at Chilenje Hospital in Lusaka yesterday. Picture by SALIM HENRY/STATE HOUSE.

By REBECCA MUSHOTA –
PRESIDENT Edgar Lungu yesterday spent his Christmas Day visiting and presenting gifts to newly-born babies and the sick.
President Lungu first visited the new Chilenje Hospital where he presented hampers to mothers of the three babies born on Christmas Day as well as four other mothers whose babies were born the previous night.
Mr Lungu urged parents to take good care of their babies, because the first five years of a person were critical to their lifetime health.
“In Zambia we have a huge problem of stunted growth which can be prevented by proper care of babies from the time they are born to the time they are five years old,” he said.
Mr Lungu said cases of mental health and stunted growth were highly determined by the kind of care that children received from birth to five years old.
The Government has put in measures to further improve the health sector so as to address challenges such as stunted growth and malnutrition.
Mr Lungu said his Government was paying special attention to the health and education sectors, so as to ensure proper growth.
And President Lungu visited Our Lady’s Hospice in Kalingalinga, which looks after people ailing from chronic diseases.
The hospice also provides anti-retroviral treatment (ART) to in and outpatients of all ages.
Sister-in-charge Emmanuela Mwansa said the hospice had various challenges, including lack of transport and failure to pay professionals at the hospital.
Sister Mwansa said an Irish diplomat that had left the country donated to the hospice a land cruiser, but the institution could not use it because the Zambia Revenue Authority (ZRA) charged Our Lady’s Hospice K41,000 tax and their only other vehicle, an Isuzu, was run down.
President Lungu said State House would pay the ZRA tax and would find the hospice an alternative vehicle.
He said that not all challenges could be addressed, but it was important to share resources, time and love.
“That is the spirit of Christmas. It encourages us to share our time, resources and love. We cannot solve every problem, but by working together, we can do a lot,” Mr Lungu said.
Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya, who accompanied the President, said the ministry would take over the wage bill of the professional staff that worked there.
President Lungu took to the hospice donation of mealie meal, rice, biscuits, salt and other groceries.
The patients, their families and staff were also treated to a party by President Lungu’s daughter Tasila, who is a regular visitor to the hospice.
Mr Lungu also visited Kalingalinga Clinic and presented a hamper to one baby that was born during Christmas.