CONSTRUCTION OF COPPERBELT PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITAL STALLS

By SANFROSSA MANYINDA

CONSTRUCTION of the psychiatric hospital in Ndola has stalled due to lack of funding.

This came to light when Copperbelt Minister Elisha Matamboaccompanied by senior government officials toured the unfinished new psychiatric hospital building on Wednesday.

Ndola Teaching Hospital Head, Clinical Care Misa Funjika explained that the building project commenced in 2014 at an estimated cost of K14 million.

Dr Funjika said the project was planned to address challenges faced by the current psychiatric hospital whose wards could not accommodate a lot of patients.

She said the total project cost had since risen to K18 million due to price variations and inflation.

And Mr Matambo expressed concern and stated that Government was committed to ensuring building projects above 80 percent especially in the ministries of Health and Education were completed. 

He said infrastructure was very key to efficient health service delivery in the country.

Mr Matambo also said that he was aware of the bad state of the Psychiatric Hospital having visited it several times. 

He added that the government would do everything possible to ensure the project is completed as soon as possible.