— Govt. upgrading Lusaka clinics to decongest UTH

Govt. upgrading Lusaka clinics to decongest UTH
Lusaka, June 21, 2014, ZANIS —-  Government says the upgrading of some health centres in Lusaka to first level hospitals will decongest the University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

Community Development Mother and Child health Minister Emerine Kabanshi says the upgrading of  some clinics in the Capital will help decongest the UTH which has of late been handling simple cases suitable for the health centres.

Ms. Kabanshi , who in the company of her Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya, said this when she toured  the country’s biggest hospital yesterday.

The duo toured the Chipata and Ng’ombe health centre in their quest to establish and seek solution to the increasing congestion at the UTH.

Ms. Kabanshi said that  government is committed to ensuring that it reduces maternal and infant deaths hence the strides in improving the health sectors.

The Minister noted that some deaths could be avoided once the health centres have been upgraded and if health workers also dedicate themselves to deliver.

And Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya says government has embarked on the upgrading of some health centres  as they are often shunned due to poor services.

The Minister also regretted that Lusaka has only 10 delivery centre despite having a huge population which he said his government would
seriously address.

He also stated that government will also work on rolling out the usage of smart care card system in health centres in order to enhance
accountability of drugs and improve efficiency of service delivery to the public.

Ng’ombe health centre is one of the health centres using care card that keep all details of the patients ion the card and the data base
instead of the books or schemes.

The Health Centre’s  in-charge Ignitius Bulongo told the ministers that use of the smart care card has enhanced the accountability of
drugs at the centre and quicken the process for attending to patients.

Mr. Bulongo commended government for stocking the hospital with all drugs including ARTs but appealed to government to address the
challenges of staff shortages at the centre.

 

And the European Union (EU) has given Zambia money amounting to fourty  four million British pound sterling for the improvement of the health sector in Lusaka and Copperbelt provinces.

Director for mother and Child Health Dr. Caroline Chibawe disclosed the development during the tour of Ng’ombe health centre saying the
money will  be used on maternal and children’s cases in some health centres on the Copperbelt and Lusaka.

The Ministers and their entourage also toured Matero after Care Centre in Matero Township where vulnerable people are kept.