Africa-Press – Zambia. The government has expressed concern with the stalled works on the construction of the K154 million Bangweulu Regional Hospital in Lupososhi district of Northern Province.
Northern Province Minister, Leonard Mbao noted that the lack of progress on the 800 bed capacity ultra-modern hospital has affected delivery of health services for the people in the Northern and Bangweulu region.
“Works on the hospital have stalled for over two years, but we know that if this hospital was completed on time, it was going to improve the delivery of health services in the Northern region and reduce referral of patients to the University Teaching Hospitals. “He said.
Mr. Mbao charged that it is unfortunate that numerous capital projects were embarked on without any tangible financial plan. He said this situation has led to a number of stalled projects in most parts of the province.
Mr. Mbao however disclosed that the UPND administration will ensure that the facility is completed so that it can become a center of medical excellence in the Northern region covering Northern, Muchinga and Luapula provinces.
“ I hear this project was only supposed to take about 36 months to complete but works here have stalled for almost two years,” he added. He disclosed that government has taken keen interest to probe as to what led to a number of stalled projects in the province.
The Hospital whose works have stalled for two years, was earmarked to be a centre of clinical excellence in the region, housing consultants in various medical disciplines.
The hospital was also going to provide training of various health personnel, including specialisation under the auspices of the Levy Mwanawasa Medical University. Works for the construction of Bangweulu Regional Hospital were commissioned in 2019 and it was scheduled to take about 36 months to complete.
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