By STANSLOUS NGOSA –
THE Government has commissioned a multi-million dollar facility at Saint Paul’s Mission Hospital in Nchelenge, Luapula Province, for the health facility to improve healthcare projects.
The project involves a solar panel system, biogas heating facility, water and sanitation projects put up at a cost of US$250,000.
The facilities, donated by the Basel Medical Association (BMA) of Switzerland, are meant to enhance the delivery of healthcare services in a cost-effective manner as close to the communities as possible.
BMA is a group of doctors providing St Paul’s Mission Hospital with medical support.
The 60 panels of solar energy with 50 batteries worth $120,000 would contribute to providing optimum health services during power outages resulting from load-shedding.
The solar panels would help the hospital save more than $10,000 annually as running costs while the biogas whose cost was $40,000 would be used for preparing meals.
The biogas uses wet medical wastes such as placentas and others from the hospital and the community to generate energy.
The $90,000 water and sanitation facility would contribute to fight further spread of infections.
Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya said when he commissioned the facilities that improved service health delivery was the ultimate goal for the Government to ensure universal access of healthcare services to all Zambians.
“Our collective aspirations are to enhance service delivery through such strong and equity partnerships,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said it was gratifying to see cooperating partners digging deeper into the knowledge of science to translate waste into wealth.
He was optimistic that the facilities would reduce running costs at the hospital as well as the cost of doing business.
Luapula Province Permanent Secretary Chrispin Chimbwali said there was need to replicate the facilities in all health institutions, colleges and schools as doing so would reduce the cost of doing
business.
“I am sure replicating this in all critical institutions would reduce pressure on Zesco Limited and contributing to sustainable management of waste materials,” Mr Chimbwali said.
BMA representative Thomas Renz said the association was happy to contribute to improving health standards in a hygienic environment as this was essential to sustainable and health development of the country.
Mansa Diocese Bishop Patrick Chisanga said the Catholic Church cherished the relationship with the Government.
He said the church would continue supporting such projects as they were in line with Jesus Christ’s teachings about providing for the sick.