Sat, 03 Jun 2017 12:43:22 +0000
BY MAILESI BANDA
THE first phase of the construction of Kawambwa General Hospital is expected to be completed before the year ends, Minister of Health, Chitalu Chilufya has announced.
The minister said the project which had cost K11 million would be opened to the public once the first phase was completed.
Speaking when he toured the construction site in Kawambwa, he said Government had engaged another contractor for the second phase of the project.
Dr. Chilufya said Government had spent K30 million on the second phase of the hospital.
“We have engaged with our contractors who have assured us that this facility will be completed in the next few months and will be ready to offer services to the people,” he said.
He announced that the second stage would be completed in the next two years.
He explained that the general hospital would be a referral hospital for medical cases coming from the district hospitals, adding that while Mansa General Hospital currently serviced a large population, there was need for another General Hospital to provide for the growing population.
“Kawambwa is a fast growing economy with the tea, cassava and forestry sectors bringing investment, there is need to have health infrastructure that will support the economic growth,” he said.
He announced that the General Hospital would be opened together with the nursing school.
He explained that the construction stage of the hospital had created 200 jobs and the completion of the first phase would create 150 while the completed General Hospital would provide an additional 200 direct jobs.
And Luapula Province minister Nickson Chilangwa cautioned the contractors of the hospital to stick to the agreement with the Government and complete the first phase of the construction within this year.
“Government will not entertain contractors that are slow in completing projects, because we are in a hurry to deliver quality services to Zambians,” he said.
And site engineer Xue Haifeng of T and H emiinence who are the contractors assured the ministers that the project would be completed before the year ends.
He said the company suffered a minor setback but that everything was on course to ensure the hospital was completed.
