Africa-Press – Zambia. Muchinga Province Minister, Henry Sikazwe has given Michael Chilufya Sata General Hospital administration a seven- day ultimatum to ensure that the hospital surrounding is clean.
Mr Sikazwe gave the ultimatum during an on the spot check at the facility yesterday. He said as much as government appreciates the numerous challenges the facility is faced with, having a dirty environment should not be tolerated.
The Minister charged that the new dawn administration placed the health sector at the top of its agenda, saying this is why grants allocation have been increased to cater for procurement of drugs and other medical services, including keeping the surroundings clean .
The Minister who is also Senga Hill law maker in Northern Province, expressed disappointment with how Michael Chilufya Sata hospital surrounding was kept.
“It’s unacceptable to keep a health facility dirty outside like this with tall grass everywhere,” said Mr. Sikazwe. And Muchinga Provincial Minister has assured health staff at the facility of more staff.
Mr Sikazwe said inadequate staffing levels will soon be a thing of the past, adding that by the end this month, health personnel will be recruited following the national recruitment exercise of 11,267 health workers.
“The exercise of recruiting health workers has advanced and soon you will receive new workers to beef up staffing levels at this hospital,” said Mr. Sikazwe.
On the issue of transport, the Minister said he will engage his counterpart to resolve the matter. Speaking earlier, Michael Chilufya Sata General Hospital Administrator, Boas Mukama highlighted some of the challenges the facility is facing.
Mr Mukama lamented that the facility only has two vehicles saying one is being used to ferry emergency cases while the other is used as a utility vehicle. He also cited security issues and low staffing levels, among other challenges.
Mr Mukama added that the facility is working in limited space owing to the non completion of the other structures under phase two and three of the hospital project.
“This health facility is incomplete as some structures are still under construction and the facility is using offices as wards for patients,” he bemoaned.
The Hospital Administrator has since appealed to government to facilitate for the quick completion of structures at the general hospital. The Minister was accompanied by Mpika District Administrative Officers (DAO), Bwalya Kaniki and other senior government officers. The Provincial Minister is in Mpika to check on projects and operations of Government departments.
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