By CHATULA KAMPO and PEZO SIABASIMBI –

GOVERNMENT is working on expanding all existing medical facilities in military camps to increase access to health services for civilians countrywide.
Defence Minister Edgar Lungu said Government was working on an ambitious plan of expanding military hospitals in camps to integrate with the community in the provision of health services.
Mr Lungu said the number of civilians from the surrounding communities accessing health services from military hospitals had increased.
Mr Lungu said the ministry would work with the Ministry of Health to ensure that good health services were delivered to all Zambians.
“In the delivery of  health services, we have been working in isolation. From now on, we will work in hand with the Ministry of Health in order to share the burden and cost of extending health services to the civilians,” he said.
Mr Lungu said this yesterday after conducting a familiarisation tour at Kalewa Barracks Garison in Ndola yesterday.
He added that his ministry would recruit medical personnel from the ministry of health to assist in the delivery of health services in military hospitals.
The minister said the ministry was now working on the Northern Command Hospital in Ndola and that an outpatient facility would open soon.
Meanwhile, Government has embarked on the construction of over 12, 000 houses for all security wings in order to mitigate the accommodation deficit for the servicemen and women.
Home Affairs Permanent secretary Emeldah Chola said the programme would start before the end of the year.
“The procurement process is taking place and I hope once this programme of constructing houses is completed, shortage of accommodation will be tackled,” she said.
The permanent secretary said this when she toured Kitumba Open Air prison in Mumbwa yesterday.