Tuesday, April 23, 2024

Government clarifies the issue of mobile hospitals

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Example of a Mobile Hospital recently donated to Zambia
Example of a Mobile Hospital recently donated to Zambia

Government has clarified that it has not yet bought the US$53 million worth mobile clinics from China.

Chief government spokesperson Ronnie Shikapwasha disclosed that government has since engaged stakeholders to carry out a comprehensive assessment of the matter.

Speaking today when he featured on Radio Christian Voice Programme dubbed “Health care delivery in Zambia”

Lieutenant General Shikapwasha, who is also Information and Broadcasting Services Minister, said government would ensure that it gets all views from all stakeholders before a decision to procure the equipment from China is agreed to.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha explained that government will also wait for the report from the medical assessment team looking at how best the mobile clinics can assist people to access quality and improved health care delivery in the country.

He noted that the report will also be taken to cabinet for further consideration, adding that government is determined to provide improved health care services to all its citizens.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha said that government will not impose the decision on people but will rather accept views from members of the public on the issue.

He pointed out that members of the public can play a leading role in providing guidance to government through their views.

Lt. Gen Shikapwasha reiterated government’s commitment to building more rural health care centers throughout country.

He disclosed that currently about 50 percent of the rural population do not have access to quality health care services hence the government to build more health facilities in such areas.

He also added that this is also why much of this year’s budgetary allocation to the health sector will be spent on constructing new health post and centers as a way of providing cheap and easy access to health facilities in rural areas.

The Minster further disclosed that 42 of the 120 constructed health posts in different districts have already been commissioned to ease the burden of people walking long distances to the nearest centre.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gen Shikapwasha has bemoaned lack of well-trained medical personal in most health centers in the country.

He said improved health care can only be administered through having well-trained personal all health departments.

He has however, called on private sector participation in enhancing good heath care services in line with the Fifth National Development Plan of 2010.

ZANIS

75 COMMENTS

  1. The message is loud and clear mr minister, we do not need mobile hospitals in zambia and the reasons are numerous.

  2. This is total rubbishi Ronnie. By the way since when did Ronnie became Health minister to talk about health issues? Or is this an \mmd donation or tax payers money? Thats the problem in RB’s admin, anyone can be what he/she feels to be. Where to Zed?

  3. Disgruntled Zedian says
    Whos is “we”? Speak for yourself. No one has appointed or elected you leader for the rest of Zambia.

  4. What is a hospital? and what un ambulance?I can’t see a mobile hospital in that pic, isn’t that surpose to be un ambulance?

  5. I hope this is a sign that this nonsense will die a natural death. Those mobile hospitals will break down in one to two years and what happens after that??. Just Build permanent structures, its not rocket science.

  6. I think, we should start by renovating UTH and the rest of ohter hosptials which need attention ulike buying the so-called mobile hospitals. poor planning govt

  7. This is the way to run government, Reverand. Learn to consult or you shall be accused of having ulterior motives behind any undertaking. From the outset, I think the idea is not feasible. Just build more health centres and improve on the existing ones, let alone look into ways of retaining medical personnel.


    Sent on a phone using T9space.com

  8. Pls take back the so called hospitals and tell the Chinese no but thanks for your car. Improve on the current hospitals especially medical supplies.

  9. The word we is inclusive and appropriate at this point bwana. The majority has spoken about this issue and the consensus is clear. WE the people is ok. Zedian, you don’t need an election to see were people are to use the word WE.

  10. The money spent on those manda mandas could have been spent on training many youths to fill the gap in the health sector. Many cant afford college fees and languish on the streets.

  11. Then why did they not consult stakeholders on the purchase of the hearses?? Ronnie Chimphuno, do not think ndife children ok?

  12. -G.M.O maize
    -Zamtel saga
    -Radar scum
    -Mobile hospitals
    -100 hearses – procured outside normal tendering process.

    All these questionable transactions in less than a year of RBs presidency. We re witnessing the worst Presidency so far and most probably there ever would be. The most frustrating thing is the gentleman seems unconcerned and sees no need to comment on such important issues involving millions of Kwacha that would otherwise help my mother if put to good use.
    My advise is pray without seizing for our country, we shouldn’t allow the rot to go on at this rate

  13. How will the MHV work kanshi? Are they going to fix appointments with people in the far flung areas to get sick so they can be visited by these vehicles, or why not build more and improve the existing Centres so that people on the out skirts can receive health care by way of them walking to these Health Centres.

    Ronnie is another Donkey….goodness me.

  14. Bufi, these chaps have already agreed with the Chinese. They agreed to take on Luanshya mine in exchange of these useless mobile hospitals. Difficulties to understand this Pastor Shikapwasha. His mouthis a disaster like that of Teta

  15. The ambulance has now become a hospital.Partition it nicely so that the maternity ward is as for from the TB ward as possible..LOL

  16. #20 Kalos2020, thanks man.
    #5 shu shu shu, I Guese you for the idea of mobile hospitals, you are a dissapointment my friend because you luck simple logic. in that case we includes well meaning zambians.

  17. All depends on how these Mobile ntweno kane will be used . There are some pipo in the out skirts who can not afford to go to the hospitals, and the use of mobile fimo fimo is not a bad idea, why is it that most of you dont look at a wider picture? do we have free ambulances to take pipo to the hopitals when they are very sick? not every one can afford to pay for a taxie.

  18. I hope Lt. Shikapwasha is serious when he says “members of the public can play a leading role in providing guidance to government through their views.”
    Bloggers, this is where you come in with your (sensible!) contributions.

  19. #13, what do you mean train the youths, train them so that they can migrate to SA, USA , AUS, UK, please training is not bad idea, but with conditions in place.

  20. You dont expect anything good to come from a catoon. Shrek, the third is funny. A missplaced airforce man will never understand logic. His opinion is just that of Shrek because militaly personel work on command!! Sometimes just the name of somebody will give you a clue of what to expect????

  21. There is only so much a mobile hospital can do in terms of providing the population with much needed health care, so in essence it is not a hospital but a clinic at best. Why not take that $53 million and improve UTH? I have a sneaky suspicion that, as with many other deals, government officials are getting something on the side by ensuring this deal goes through. Where are the sensible, practical and service oriented leaders in this situation? This is a major waste of money. Hopefully all the money they are going to spend is coming from donors and not Zambian taxpayers.

  22. Please can someone explain to me how these mobile Hospitals work or what they look like. Im asking this question becoz I wish to know how the male ward is designed and how far they are from the maternity and children’s ward. Are they not just ambulances. Please help me

  23. You are wasting our money paying technocrats to review an idea that you know is completely useless. We will come after you when you leave government. We know what is going on behind the scenes. You guys are conniving with Chinese businessmen to rape this country’s resources. These are the same problems the Chinese brought to Sudan and look what is happening there now. Take care we are watching you. The Courts and Chimbwakaila will always be there waiting for you. This time we will make Mukobeko the first prison of call for all corrupt chaps and former leaders!

  24. This is an ill-thought out move. There are many reasons why this venture wouldn’t work, the most glaring of these is the lack of roads in the rural areas where they are intended for. Tell me Mr Shikapwasha, how are you going to get the ambulances / clinics to these areas without proper road networks and just imagine the chaos in the rainy season!!
    We need policy makers that are realistic and can se things from the ground and not closeted up in their air conditioned offices!!!

  25. I appeal to all Zambians in the interest of the advancement of our national economy, NOT to allowance mobile clinics. Lets build clinics instead, pliz people. The mobile clinics are not structures. One day they will wear out and fail. But built up infrastructure can remain for many years. Zambians, lets fight against purchase of these mobile clinics coz i see that govt is bending towards purchase of the same. The problem we have is that our govt would rather listen to the politicians that the technocrats. Please govt, save your face. We’re not dealing about a health problem to solve the NOW problems, but for posterity as well. Mobile clinics are not going to be for our future generations coz the clinics will be in garages by then.

  26. this is a scam!!! how dare taxe payers money is taken for granted ilke that? how will these liabilities alleviate the poor health service of the country??? just maintaining them will be huge cost, the same people will get those contracts and rip more, at the expennse of underprevilledged zambians. this undertaking should not be tolerated by the gernaral public in its in the interst of public health, why not construct more relaible health fascilities in the rural areas? and the ration of these vans compared to the need for health in the nation is like 1: 1000, so how does grz justify that this will be a viable venture when the initiators have not research much into thye under taking?????? this will be another 10 billion issue the country is having to deal with at the moment!!!

  27. “Lt. Gen Shikapwasha explained that government will also wait for the report from the medical assessment team looking at how best the mobile clinics can assist people to access quality and improved health care delivery in the country” – Why restrict your self to mobile clinics.why not look at the bigger picture, why not ask the medical team [another apopinted committee by the way] on ways in which the entire health sector can be improved. The answer is that you boys in Gov’t have already bought these so mobile clinics… Not very smart General.

  28. I have moved around Health centres in zambia. it is pathetic to find out that Health centres are actually run by non trained health practitioners ie Clinic cleaners tthat have worked along side nurses and doctors for years and have gained some knowledge to diagonise and treat common Zambian diseases, Transport to refer patients to Boma hospitals has been a challenged. In view of the above I would argue that Ambulences or call them mobile hosptals are a wellcome idea given the staffing levels and situation in the health sector. These vehicles would be placed at a boma and move around irural areas treating patients . In this way more people will be reached. Zambia has many health centres but the problem at hand is insufficent medical staff, we have 1 Doctor for every 80,000 people

  29. CIAO, You aimless rants and attacks on the Minister of Information expose your lack of understanding and how little you know about your own country, First of all, be advised that the office of Minister of Information and Broadcast serves amongest many other things as the goverment Chief Spokes person, and not the Policey enforcer. (Ever heard the saying dont shoot the messanger) Secondly the man you attack so heartlessly has served and dedicated over thrithy years of his life to your country much of which was for the security and peace that you enjoy. Mind you you can not corrupt your way in to being a Lt General. Lastly he is a Minister of the word of God. Take time to understand what you are talking about before you make a mockary of you self. Thank you and God bless you all.

  30. Stan Mbewe # 33,u sound like the bootlicker’s nephew..uuuuuuuuuuhmm!i guess am 142% correct on this one!

  31. Ngati munagula kudala ma Mobile Clinic ayo osabisa just donate them to Home Based Care Centres I think they can be useful in advancing the Anti-ritraviral Treatment program in remote parts of our country where such services are not there. Plus aoneka like nivima Landrover they can do well in rural areas. Send them with a grant for fuel and service kits other wise eyo ni temporal measure. PABWATO – SOS

  32. This govt has failed to rule Zambia.
    They are all useless.
    can’t wait to the next elections to retire some chaps from public office

  33. Stan mbewe, my friend, if these guys were not in governmaent, other people would have, may be well meaning than what we have now. That country called Zambia is potentially a nice country but the people you call leaders are killing you if you did not know. Why cant a big person like him not just keep quiet rather than supporting things that are aimed at weakening the country further. Are you the only one who does not know that people are just using church for their own selfishness. You cant tell me that you are so stupid to support such simplistic ideas??? I am not ranting. I am simply telling you the truth as you may wish to know it

  34. Stan mbewe,

    Are Shrek’s nephew??

    Keep cool my friend as we are targeting real crooks who cant wait on weakening the country further, not you my friend. You can however, be on the side of pretenders. People using church to hide their crookedness. Are you so sily that you cant see what is happening??

  35. Instead of sorting out corruption, they are bussy talking about yet another thing that is encouraging corruption. Dont you see iwe Mbewe Zambia is the only country in the region with such levels of corruption. The whole thing stinks. Stealing in Government is the worst thing there can be on earth. You killing your own people. I dont care whether you a pastorlike Nevers Mumba, please spare our people you*****s

  36. F.T.J if you only purpose to blog on this wesite is to insult people, that i suggest you find a better past time, our nation has serious issues at hand, issues that require your intelectual contribution and not immture faceless corward attacks. If you have a solution to the problems Zambia has, share them, cease to be a smart “Alick” taking the high throan crticzing peoples genuwine efforts and become a part of the solution. Your insults will not bring Zambia out of the mess she is in. Please people consider the image you potray of your country when you Blog, these websites are accessed by more than zambians. Lets be responsible and communicate and debate in a dignified manner and not like thugs with out an objective.

  37. You cant operate in a crroked government like GRZ and at the same time preach the gospel. Which gospel does Rone preach, of people stealing 10 billion. Iwe Mbewe, keep quiet if you dont understand these things. I am targeting crooks here, not you. But if you feel you belong to that group and Man enough then lets chat??

  38. Iwe mbewe, what contribution can you make to these people that they will hear?? That thing you see on picture called mobile clinic is coming as they have already determined to and get their cut. Look Iwe mbewe, Give me one or two correct opinions Shrek has followed since he crooked himsel into GRZ. Sure , IWE mbewe, how can you allow a catoon to have such an influence on you

  39. ****ATTENTION ALL BLOGGERS ****ATTENTION ALL BLOGGERS : have u read posting #45 from Mamaume on the other thread(secrets from a 6yr girl-part2)………really horrific,unbelievable,insane,.

  40. I think the mobile clinic needs some sober reflection. I am not a health expert but I can see how it can assist . These clinics could be a form of referal services so instead of going to UTH or Kitwe Hospital for tasts or treatment. Certain services could be given at sites around the country. Building new clinics and hospitals will take years but some missing services can be provided thru this system. I am not saying it is right but the Government should be encouraged to think outside the box for solutions to problems- innivation in other words .

  41. Ciao My challenge to you is simple. Seeing that you know better than the people serving you, instead of insulting people and calling them names, why dont you share with us you brillient ideas on how we can fix our country. Suerly that would be more beneficial and interesting that reading your immature rants. That would serve as good service to the nation on your part, because honestly speaking for all the insults you can make, non of it will cahnge the status quo. Wisen up and cease to show foolishness.

  42. Yesterday I was listening to a story on radio bout a woman who was refered to Lusaka for a cancer diagonisis . now with such facilities, this could probabaly be done in Kasama and maybe even the treatment. The mobile clinic could also have CD4 cout machine, dialysis et This would certanly be cheaper and more effecient then putting a cancer diagnostic machine in each clinic / health centre. As this machinery would rarely be used.

  43. In a stable country yes it can work. The problem here, iwe is that of sustainability. We as a country have not been known to plan well and hence all this money will just be worsted. There are simpler methods and sustainable methods GRZ can use. Just mere road network is a problem. Secondly are you going to blow a wistlle to the sick to come to where these things will be stopping??. Look at the cost. 1 you need drivers, nurses, security, fuel, coordination team…….That poor thing called Zambia will not manage period

  44. as for Ciao and F.J.T i challenge you gentlemen to share with the nation you brilliant ideas on how to get our country out of the mess we are in rather than the name calling and insults, surely this is more beneficial than the empty no result baring name calling. Lets expose our intellect and nowt our thug abilities, after all we shall be know by our fruit.

  45. repaires, and so own. We also have to consider perhaps another 10 billion that will be stollen through this exercise. This same Government is failing to run a simple thing as UTH which has all the infrastructure in place. Why is it that failure are always looking at more and more complicated things when they can not prove to run even the simplest of programs

  46. Ciao i’m still not hearing solutions from you i see a whole lot criticizim from you but no solutions, a wise man once said you must be ready to give a solution if you are going to criticize other peoples efforts, otherwise you are just making noise.

  47. CIAO, lets tighten the procurement procedure yes and UTH is badly run but that does not mean that you can not look at other means to provide services. As for the sustainability and simpler i may not agree with you. I feel services can be taken out to rural areas probably using a staelite kind of systems in order to complement what is avalable in rural areas. as for the cost of nurses, drivers, doctors, if they will provide a service, so be it. try to remove the emotion and look at way foward.

  48. # 49 stan mbewe, this same sikapwsha has been serving us for how long ? We have been a near failed state for the past 15 yrs and he has been part of the problem. We are feed up with old washed up failed pipo like Ronnie etal. He and his cronies are hopless. we need new blood.

  49. Our zambia we love, the nation we will die for, is in its trying time our faith and hope have been put to a test, we must not lose heart but standout and fight, fight for wat is right. We must not allow aliens to posses wat we own. Mobile hospitals are liability to our development.

  50. # 50 POSITIVIST PA ZED, as an elctronics person i can assure you those sensitive electronic components will not last 6 months vibration with the state of our rds. That is only looking at the componets side. Never mind the rest. I give those Cars 5 yrs Max and the equipment , because of our rds less. With a brick and motor structure it will last 100 yrs.

  51. Kc you are a prime example of what i was eluding to ealier all steam and no substance, I mentioned his Service to our nation much of which was in the military wing of our country, You are enjoying your freedom of speach and insulting people because of his efforts among many other patriots. Please use google if picking up a book is too much work, because your information does not serve you right. As you might recall Shikapwasha was actively involved with many other great soldiers in stopping the coups that almost took Zambia in to a violent spin. Surely you have to look at that contribution as some what valuable. PLEASE ZAMBIANS LETS STOP MAKING OUR SELVES LOOK FOOLISH BY IMMATURE POINTLESS RANTS. LETS DEBATE IN MATURE FACTUAL WAYS AS THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO SHOW WE ARE A GREAT PEOPLE

  52. Stan Mbewe, if you knew how many people die at UTH and other hospital out of negligence, you would know what I mean. Look, you cant tell me that those clinics are going to be better than what we have??. Why let 200 People die at HTH and pretent to be reaching out to abstract structures in rural areas. Who would believe you on this? In the first place what is making people is poverty. So why not address this problem first??. It is not even that we dont have hospitals and health centeres in rurals. We have them. You can actually start by improving on them

  53. POSITIVE PA ZED,

    I understand my brother your point. But I have been very positive for the past 20 years and seen money stollen easily by these people you see in GRZ. The thing is, if they first sat down and proved the finacial management system especially looking at what we always hear, everyone would be willing to trust them. However, they dont do anything knowing that with the loop holes we have they will still money from such deals. It is not common in many of these other countries that a certificate holder at ministry of finance would still such amounts. You mean we can just go ahead with this nonsense

  54. So now we are talking KC, so if we resticted to tar roads, is that ok?when we talk tar, at least in eastern province, you can get to all but four districts ( and of these roads to Mambwe and Lundazi are on the cards). and it is the same for the copperbelt, so lets not shoot down ideas before we think them thru. Actually as an electronics person, you should be thinking of way to minimise the effect of the bad infrastructure

  55. ##55, that diffits the whole point. People who are near tared roads have access to bigger hospitals. Zambia is not such a large country and very remote like DRC.
    Unless you mean to say you want to have these vehicles for every spaced house in the rurals. At that rate 50+ million dollas, why not select a few places that central and do nice hospitals then

  56. Yes ciao, there is so much rot. but a govt is in place and is obligated to make decisions and it will. So as mush as we are annoyed , lets try in our own small ways to contribute to well being of the country and shooting down every initiative will not help.Instead let us fight the stealling but not kill every idea out of pessimism. This theft occurs every where but that does not mean we should not think progressively.

  57. # 57 POSITIVIST PA ZED, The point is this deal only came to light because of the opposition. Only now is GRZ appointing think tanks. And Ciao is right. We are failing to manage things that don’t even move, the rural hospitals and UTH. How will we manage something that moves ? You can have the smoothest rd, still virations occur. Good rds by Zed standards will still provide vibrations beyond tolerence levels. I give those electronics less than 6 months before repair.

  58. POSITIVIST PA ZED, The point is this deal only came to light because of the opposition. Only now is GRZ appointing think tanks. And Ciao is right. We are failing to manage things that don’t even move, the rural hospitals and UTH. How will we manage something that moves ? You can have the smoothest rd, still virations occur. Good rds by Zed standards will still provide vibrations beyond tolerence levels. I give those electronics less than 6 months before repair.

  59. # 50 POSITIVIST PA ZED, The point is this deal only came to light because of the opposition. Only now is GRZ appointing think tanks. It would have been torn to shreds had GRZ investigated first. And Ciao is right. We are failing to manage things that don’t even move, the rural hospitals and UTH. How will we manage something that moves ? You can have the smoothest rd, still virations occur. Good rds by Zed standards will still provide vibrations beyond tolerence levels. I give those electronics less than 6 months before repair. If you want to catch a monkey, look at who is going to be awarded the out side contracts connected to the Service level agreements concerned with the repair of these things. Ali Baba and his 13 thives have planned well. ..

  60. GRZ cant maintain something that dosent move like UTH, how will they manage some thing that moves ?. It would be intresting to see who would have been awarded the maintenance contracts associated with the service level agreements for this contract. Ali Baba and his gang had planned well

  61. Stan Mambwe

    typical of mmd mentality. FTJ says he suspects you of being Shikapwasha’s nephew and you say he is insulting, its all about blogging. I avoid commenting on shikapwasha because he is a man of God and he is mostly on the wrong sides. but on mobile chipatala it smells corruption by someone.

  62. Ok Ronnie, why dont you incooperate these mobile hospitals into the Zambia Army ?. Green buffallos already have a few mobile clinics. Buy them more. And our troops doing nothing will have a chance to contribute instead of spending time marching on freedomway all the time. A turck of solders to put up movable clinics in tents and to help guard the medics at will follow the medics.This way the army medics will be well versed. The army mechanics and electronic technicians will also be well worked. And Green buffalos will also be well versed in logistics

  63. RB and his cohorts are really mad. They are now caught pants down. The truth is that they have already purchased these moving hospitals. They connived with the Chinese government. So they are just buying time forming all those face saver medical assessment fimo fimo. Zambia is heading towards horrible disaster. May be we need the Cobra to come and teach these people lessons. 2011 PA BWATOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!.

  64. Mobile hosital? when you don’t even have emergency service (999 0r 911). E bu kabwalala ubu bwine.

    Just build proper hospitals, with the money you get back fro that chief ka bwalala Kapolo guy. Hospitals are not supposed to be on wheels, maybe mobile clinics, but hospital, never heard of such rubbish.

  65. Its sounds good to some people when politicians like Shikapwasha speaks big re Mobile Hospitals. My main worry is regarding internal consultation he claims to be going on with some stakeholders (in this case, I guess, he might be talking about talks amongst MMD followers). Mobile Health (eHealth) which includes mobile hospitals, telemedicine, telehealth, teleradiology e.t.c requires expertise, infrastructure (Both ICT & Good Transport network and above all, the trained human resource). Zambia should learn from Kenya and South Africa on how mobile health is working. The Government should instead concentrate on building capacities in human resources and upgrading the infrastructures which already exists at district, provincial and national levels.

  66. Do they now what a mobile hospital is?? Just one yellow rand rover… A hospital should have room for admissions… wonder where we are heading to… with all the trust on the China man… even hearses are chinaman adoptees…

  67. The roads are terible in rural areas how do they think of getting there? Improve and the current hospitals and clinics instead of bringig your personalised hospitals on is it a HOSPITAL ON A CANTER.

  68. What a load of rubbish. Mobile clinics are not the answer to the poor state of hospitals in ZED. Ambulances plus improved health facilities is what we need.

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