COPPERBELT Minister John Kufuna has said there is need to expand the capacity of the Ndola Central hospital (NCH) Mortuary to end instances of some bodies not being refrigerated.
And the minister has directed government health institutions to stop charging user fees to the public as per government directive.
Mr Kufuna said in Ndola when he made a surprise inspection of the institution yesterday that it was surprising that such a big referral hospital only had a mortuary with a capacity of 35 bodies.
During his inspection in the morning, the minister found about six bodies that had been brought in, lying on the floor and on some trolleys outside the refrigerators.
He said the situation was not good because the dead needed to be kept in better conditions.
“This is obviously what contributes to the bad smell in the mortuary and the Hospital in general,” he said.
Mr Kufuna, however, said that news of more mortuary units arriving at the hospital had given some assurance that the situation would soon improve.
He said the situation in the laundry room was also not pleasant and that the institution urgently needed laundry machines installed to improve its operations.
Mr Kufuna urged management at the hospital to continue improving sanitation and cleanliness so that patients and their minders can have little to complain about.
The minister also expressed displeasure that NCH had continued to charge user fees on the public and told them to immediately stop.
He said user fees were abolished the moment that President Michael Sata declared it and that it was wrong for the hospital to disregard the instruction.
But hospital superintendent Dande Malawo said management was awaiting written instructions concerning the user fees.
Dr Malawo also appealed to the minister to assist the institution with accessing the money to be used in its rehabilitation programe.
He said the hospital had only received about K900 million so far out of the K2.1 billion bill of quantities that had been presented.
The minister said he would present the hospital’s case and ensure that the remaining money was made available for completion of the works.
Mr Kufuna said the public should also refrain from vandalising installations especially in ablution blocks in wards, where he found various fittings missing.
[Times of Zambia]
I am shocked he is shocked. This only goes to show how detached our politicians are. That is a government hospital. A hospital where most of his relatives go, a hospital where he should be going!
But, the reality is they go to private clinics/hospitals.
Well said mwana wandi, well said!
Yes this is what the government should be doing,not this nonsense of witch hunting Nevers Mumba, Situmbeko Musokotwane and others. Bwana minister don’t just end on giving fake directives but we should see an improvement in the health facility now that you know the situation 1st hand.
Shut up Malawo and put your house in order first. You guys are busy stealing equipment for your tuntemba hospitals. If I was the president I would demand accountability first.
too bad for not expanding such a big hospital and not maintaing it
I thought this was strange. instead of improving health care services to minimise deaths, the mnister is talking about expanding the mortuary! And why is he making noise instead of jst start working on it immediately? As far as I know these greedy politicians, NOTHING will be done about this situation, he jst wanted publicity. what a shame!!!!
DONT MIX ISSUES!! PIPO WHO HAVE STOLEN MUST BE PUNISHED!! HOW CAN HOSPITALS BE IN A SUCH A STATE? WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THOSE MOBILE HOSPITALS? I AGREEE WITH MASEBO, SOME PIPO SHOULD BE LOCKED AWAY SOON!!
#2 Gumu gumu…….for sure you are that ugly animal. Getting back stolen money from your useless MMD is not wasting time. We need the money to buy drugs and to build new hospitals and schools…………..to rehabilitate the same smelly hospitals like the one above
stop charging !!!! are we already in April 2012?
why can’ t Zambia find another way of financing the health sector. There are very good lesspns to be learnt from the Ghanaian friend. I have one of the best health insurance schame in Africa. let the Govnment learn from them.
User fees is necessary but it must reflect exactly what a patient is paying for.
There is nothing to be shocked about. Here is a crappy Minister who goes to visit a hospital that is struggling to find resources for expansion and then directs it to stop charging for the service. How the does he expect it to expand? Time for free service is gone. The government should focus on subsidizing those who can’t afford, yes, but the rest must pay. We are now going back to the wrecked hospitals of Kaunda era. Infact mortuaries at all big city hospitals must be leased out to private companies to run them, with hospitals paying the companies for providing the service more efficiently. Why don’t people come up with more progressive ideas rather than shitting in the same spot for 50-years! It’s annoying. We keep going back to the same ideas that failed. PF govt is clueless!!
What has happened to the Mobile Clinic?The fact that this PF government has never said anything implies that they are doing just fine and serving the people. I hear from the grapevine that the PF government is cnteplating dipping its fingers into the foreign reserves that the MMD kept for the rainy days ahead. They want to do that before they even contribuite a Ngwee to our economy. Shame on this Kaponya government. VIVA MMD for raising the bar which PF will never ever reach even if they had to stay in power for 30 years. I miss the intellect and maturity the MMD displayed in everything they did. I was then proud to be a Zambian in a foreign land. To day I am ashamed to be associated with these assholes.
So he doesnt know the state of Government hospitals? The hospital Superintendant gave the minister a good answer you don’t suspend charging user fees because the president said so. You do it when a statutory instrument is passed to abolish the fees. The visit though was a good move. Now its time to back the rhetoric with the action.
imwe he has the rite to be shocked no wonder he went visitng to ensure that he was up to speed
with what is happening!!!! that malawo person should ensure that he accounts for all inventory at the hospital
#11 PM “this Kaponya government” is statement of the day!!!
I remember the doc from UNZA in the 80s. Good guy. He somewhat went to Russia I think for his medical degree if I am not mistaken. @PM but wakalipa ee. Quite understandable though.
A nurse at this hospital sat me down to tell me of the death of someone I had flown in to see. I will never forget how empathetic she was as she held my teenage hand. People work in these facilities who deserve a work environment of a global standard. Think of these people and those they care for. The standards for health care of all Zambians needs to rise and any moves towards that goal are welcome. More money, more development, more training and better pay needed in this sector. Imagine the body of your relation in that morgue and avoid politicking.
Minister you are surely misguided, YOU PREFER TO SEE THE DEAD IN BETTER CONDITIONS, whilst, FORGETTING THE LIVING!! GET YOUR PRIORITIES RIGHT!!!
This is the legacy of the MMD GOVT. Stealing, looting GOVT resources, vandalism, increased prostitution, excessive beer drinking by youths, huge number of street kids etc.
The state of our hospitals in general is indeed shocking.The are are a danger to the users.The continued improvisation for most vital equipment poses areal danger to the patients.
Health funding is a challenge to most governments.There is no way the government can run away from employing cost sharing method.Even in diamond rich Botswana the public is charged a small fee for consultations and admissions.
PF stop playing politics and get down to business.Institutions don’t act on verbal instructions iwe chikaponya.Tell your bemba health minister to issue official government saving gram to that effect.Dr.Malawo don’t be intimidated by those uneducated wimps but watch your back!
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