By REBECCA MUSHOTA –

GOVERNMENT has prioritised establishment of annexes for mental illnesses in provincial centres, Health Minister Joseph Kasonde has said.
Dr Kasonde said in Solwezi recently that Government has prioritised construction of annexes for people that are mentally challenged in hospitals in the provincial centres.
He said this when he and his deputy Chitalu Chilufya visited Solwezi General Hospital to check on the site meant to build an annex for mental patients.
“It is a priority for the Patriotic Front Government to improve care for mentally unwell patients. We are designing and building annexes at each general hospital,” Dr Kasonde said.
Government was currently providing care for mentally ill people even in hospitals where there were no annexes.
Dr Kasonde said mental health required special structures to provide quality care.
He said Government had started a national plan to establish annexes in provincial hospitals and Livingstone was the first to have one already established.
The other hospitals with annexes underway were Kasama, Chipata and Mongu.
The structure for Solwezi was said to be unsuitable for mental health care and another site within the hospital grounds would have to be identified.
Meanwhile, Dr Kasonde said he was elated that the 650 health posts being constructed countrywide were progressing well.
He said when he visited the health post where the project was launched in Kampitubwangula in Solwezi that he was happy some health posts were ready for launching next month.