By SYLVIA MWEETWA-
CENTRAL Province Permanent Secretary Edwidge Mutale has handed over an ambulance to the newly created Luano District where staff including health personnel have been operating in tents.
Ms Mutale, who handed over the newly acquired ambulance to Luano District Commissioner Christopher Chibuye recently, said she was happy with the determination of the staff who have moved on site despite not having infrastructure and were ready to save lives.
Ms Mutale handed over the ambulance to Mr Chibuye, reaffirming that the Government has committed itself to the improvement of health delivery to the public as well as ensuring that reliable transport is provided.
“As the provincial administration, we are happy that the staff in Luano has shown commitment by starting to operate in tents and were saving lives which is critical and it is for this reason that we are assisting them with an ambulance to ferry patients to the nearest Chitambo hospital,” she said.
Speaking during the handover-ceremony held at Kabwe General hospital which was also attended by Deputy Permanent Secretary Ronald Sinyangwe and acting provincial medical officer George Chipulu, Ms Mutale said following the creation of Luano as a district Government was aware of difficulties staff who were operating from tents were  facing and that Government was working towards turning the situation around.
She said with the determination shown by the staff in Luano, she was confident that the public would be serviced effectively.
He said that plans are underway for the construction of the administration block not only in Luano but in all other newly created districts. She commended the  workers in Luano for their determination and dedication to duty.
She said the provincial administration is rallying behind the officers and would ensure that the challenges such as funding and transport that have been faced previously were addressed as soon as possible.
And Mr Chibuye said that he was happy that transport has been provided barely less than a week when Ms Mutale and Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Ambassador Peter  Kasanda visited Luano and pledged to ensure that the  vehicle is put to good use.
Recently, Deputy Secretary to Cabinet Peter Kasanda challenged civil servants deployed to newly created districts to emulate officers in Luano district who have a pioneering spirit and were operating in tents.
Mr Kasanda said it was encouraging to see people who are willing to work with the Government to foster development and that it wants everyone in the country to have access to quality health services despite the areas they live in, adding that it is only through hard-work that civil servants would achieve this goal.
“The pioneering spirit that you people here in Luano have is very impressive and I would like to see other officers in the newly created districts to replicate the same spirit if the country is to develop,” Mr Kasanda said.
Mr Kasanda added that instead of squatting at a nearby district and demanding for new office furniture, vehicles and infrastructure, the officers have sacrificed and moved to the site to ensure Government’s presence.