By MILDRED KATONGO –
Zambia has hailed Japan for setting up a K4.7 million maternal health facility in Masaiti District on the Copperbelt.
Copperbelt Province Minister Mwenya Musenge said the facility would help improve access to quality maternal and child health services with a goal of moving the country towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Mr Musenge said this during the launch of the maternal, new-born and child health One-Stop Service facility in Masaiti yesterday.
The facility includes a maternity waiting house, maternity wing, youth resource centre and two houses for health workers.
Mr Musenge said the Government remained was ready to work with partners who were focused on initiating development in various communities.
Mr Musenge urged Japan to continue supporting Zambia’s efforts in providing quality health services to members of the public.
“I take this opportunity to commend the Japanese government for the continued support rendered to Zambia. We are grateful for the resources provided. I urge you to continue supporting our efforts in ensuring that our mothers access maternal healthcare services closer to their homes,” he said.
Community Development Mother and Child Health Deputy Minister Obvious Chisala said the construction of the health facility by the Japanese government was in line with Government’s vision to ensure that people accessed quality healthcare services.
“Government attaches great importance to health issues and the same to reproductive health which are not left out,” he said.
Japanese Ambassador to Zambia Kiyoshi Koinuma said his country placed emphasis on women‘s empowerment in the global society, hence the move to fund the construction of the facility for mothers.
Mr Koinuma said this clearly indicated that Japan was committed to contributing to empowering women in Zambia.
“This project has been funded by the Government of Japan under Japan’s grant assistance for Japanese NGO projects, with the total assistance provided amounting to K4.7 million. I must emphasise that the money is purely taxpayers’, hence the need to have the community safeguard the facility,” he said.
Chief Chiwala of the Lamba-speaking people expressed happiness at the developments taking place in his chiefdom.
The traditional leader said the health facility would enable mothers acquire quality maternal health services in his area.
Chief Chiwala said many mothers were dying while giving birth due to the absence of a modern facility such as the one constructed by Japan and that from now onwards, health services in the area would improve.