. UTH

By PERPETUAL SICHIKWENKWE, JAMES KUNDA and MARILYN ROSE –
THE University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has recorded 23 New Year babies among them a set of twins.
UTH public relations officer Mwenye Mulenga said that out of the 23 babies, 13 are boys while 10 are girls.
Kasama General Hsopital in Northern Province recorded eight New Year babies while Kabwe General Hospital recorded four New Year babies.
Ndola Central Hospital (NCH) has recorded four New Year babies born between 00:00 hours and 10:00 hours.
NCH acting senior medical superintendent Sebastian Chinkoyo said among the newly born were three girls and one boy with the first one coming at 00:59 hours.
Ten New Year babies were born in Kitwe, Kalulushi, Chibuluma and Chambishi clinics from midnight to 10:00 hours yesterday.
Defence and Justice Minister Edgar Lungu, United Party for National Development (UPND) and the Zambia Police Seventh Day Adventist Lunch Hour Fellowship gave gifts to the mothers of the newly born babies at UTH.
Mr Lungu who was accompanied by his wife Esther took time to visit patients at Maina Soko Hospital where he presented them with assorted hampers.
He told them that the presents were meant to remind them that society cared for them even as they were hospitalised and that there was hope beyond being in hospital.
Mr Lungu in an interview said he will carry on with President Michael Sata’s vision of expanding healthcare from military hospitals to all citizens.
“We should not begin to say this is for the army this is for the Zambia Air Force because essentially we are serving the people of Zambia let us integrate ourselves in the Ministry of Health programmes” Mr Lungu said.
Mr Lungu said that this is because the provision of health care was meant for all citizens.
Government will this year embark on the process of integrating military health care into the Ministry of Health, adding that the hospitals were already getting help from the ministry.
The perception of having special facilities for military personnel and civilians should come to an end by recognising that provisions of health services by the army should expand to communities.
He interacted with UPND women whom he found by the entrance of the ward as they were waiting for their turn to present gifts to the New Year babies.
UPND national coordinator for women, Clement Chipeta who presented baby bumper humper sets to the New Year babies on behalf of UPND leader Hakainde Hichilema’s wife, Mutinta said children were a blessing to the nation.