Japan Gives Zambia K 400 Million To Upgrade Chawama And Chipata Clinics Into First Level Hospitals

ZAMBIA and Japan have signed a 400 Million kwacha grant agreement to upgrade three clinics to First Level Hospitals.
The three clinics are Chawama, Chipata and Kanyama under phase two of the project.
Under Phase one, Chilenje and Matero Clinics were upgraded to first level hospitals and were commissioned by President Edgar Lungu last month.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Hidenobu Sobashima signed on behalf of his government while Minister of Finance Felix Mutati signed on behalf of the Zambian government.
Mr. Mutati has since assured Japan of government’s commitment in strengthening health delivery systems.
He says the basic approach to achieving this is through focusing on de congesting the University Teaching Hospital and taking specialized health services to where people live.
The Minister has further thanked the Japanese government for commitment made in delivering X-ray equipment to 30 hospitals which fits into government’s agenda on health.
He has also stated that more health workers will be employed as provided for in the 2017 national budget with the aim of improving the health worker-patient ratio.
Mr. Mutati says government will endeavor that construction works start before the end of the year.
And the Japanese envoy to Zambia says the three hospitals will not only reduce congestion at UTH but also reduce maternal and child mortality rates.
He says Japan is keen on help Zambia achieve her goals of improving the health sector.