By CHRISTINE MWAABA –

THE eight health posts currently under construction in Luapula Province will be commissioned in two weeks’ time, Health Deputy Minister Chitalu Chilufya has said.
Those to be commissioned are Fiyongoli, Sande, James, Kafula, Kapesha, Fibale, Namadwe and Matanda.
He said this when he inspected the health posts being built in Mansa which are part of the 650 being built across Zambia.
Dr Chilufya who will commission the health posts said the facilities were ready and health personnel have since been deployed to the areas to commence duties.
The 650 health posts will address the inadequate distribution of health facilities in remote and far flung places in Zambia.
He said that before the start of the project, people in Mansa for example, were unable to access health services  resulting in fatalities among those who were in transit to the nearest hospital while,  pregnant women often delivered in homes.
“All the completed health posts in Mansa will be commissioned in a fortnight’s time. And all these health posts will have qualified health personnel to ensure that the people of Mansa are given adequate health care,” he said.
Dr Chilufya said the health posts would take the required services closer to the people thereby, reducing the number of deaths and maternal mortality rate.
Mansa residents thanked the Government for building the health posts.
Joseph Kalasa, a resident of Matelo, praised the Government for building a health post closer to his community.
Mr Kalasa said the health posts were long overdue as sick people in his community had to walk long distances to access health services.
He said accessing health services had been a great challenge in the past especially when it came to issues of early pregnancies among young girls which were rampant in the area.
He said most young mothers faced challenges before and after delivery, as they could not access ante natal and post natal services.
“Many times young girls have faced complications on their way to the hospital,” he said.
Mr Kalasa was happy that the matter was now a story of the past because the health posts would ensure that women and children accessed proper health care services without having to walk long distances.