Minister of Health, Elijah Muchima, has hailed the Scottish government for the continued support it has rendered to Zambia through his ministry.
Dr Muchima, states that the Scottish government’s support to Zambia through the establishment of Kids Operating Rooms, that provide surgical services to children, has significantly improved paediatric surgical care in the country.
ZANIS reports that the Minister has highlighted that so far, nine fully equipped operating rooms have been established across the country, three are at the University Teaching Hospital (UTH), another three at Arthur Davison Children’s Hospital in Ndola and one each at provincial hospitals in Chipata, Kabwe and Livingstone.
Dr Muchima has further disclosed that with this support, UTH alone now conducts between 2,800 to 3,000 paediatric surgeries every year, from the less than 1,000 it used to perform before the equipped rooms.
“A remarkable improvement from the less than 1,000 in the previous years,” he adds.
Dr Muchima was speaking in a speech read for him by his counterpart, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Sylvia Masebo, when the Scottish First Minister, John Swinney, paid a courtesy call on him today at the Kids Operating Room (Kids OR) at UTH.
He also thanked the Scottish government not just for the modern operating rooms that enhance the country’s health infrastructure but also for contributing to the training of specialist paediatric surgeons.
“We are grateful to the Scottish government’s support in expanding the PEN Plus initiative. In July 2025, two additional Pen Plus training centres were launched at Chifubu First Level One Hospital, and Chipata District Hospital with yearly funding of 275,000 Pounds for three years,” he said.
And, Mr Swinney reiterated his government’s commitment towards the bilateral partnership and support through the health sector.
He said his visit is one that illustrates the Scottish government’s strengthening of partnership with Zambia through various initiatives especially research.
Earlier, Representing the Kids OR, Head of Projects, Caleb Macharia, was grateful for the Scottish government’s support towards the department, saying that it has brought surgical services closer to children’s homes.
“Scottish partnership and support continue to lead innovation. Thanks to your support, solar systems have been installed in all the supported surgical rooms to ensure sustainable and reliable surgeries,” he said.
