Acting Northern Province Permanent Secretary, Beauty Undi-Phiri has urged the Mbala council to consider procuring delivery beds for Mbala General Hospital.
Ms Undi-Phiri says President Hakainde Hichilema is keen on ensuring that expectant mothers deliver from safe environments and that the procurement of beds would create a more conducive environment for mothers to deliver from.
ZANIS reports that Ms, Undi Phiri made the remarks when she undertook a spot check of the hospital to appreciate the efforts and prevailing challenges.
“The President is concerned with where women deliver from, ensuring that more delivery beds are procured so that the facility has enough for expectant mothers,” she said.
She said the President also made a directive for all health facilities to have running water and maternity annexes in an effort to give dignity to expectant mothers.
And Ms Undi-Phiri checked on the effectiveness of the X-ray machine which was installed last year at Mbala General Hospital.
“I was compelled to physically check if the X-ray machine is operational, there are speculations going round that all the new machines are not working, but we have seen for ourselves here the x-ray machine is servicing our people well,” she explained.
And Mbala District Health Director, Fredrick Chimanga confirmed that the x-ray machine at the hospital is fully functional.
Dr Chimanga said that many people from within and outside the district are already benefiting from the services being rendered as a result of the X-ray machine.
“The X-ray machine is fully functional, we have people coming as far as Senga Hill district, and many from within the district who are accessing services,” Dr Chimanga explained.
Bertha Nakazwe, a resident of Mpulungu said she brought her sister to access X-ray services at the hospital.
“We haven’t had any challenges so far, the lady you found undergoing x-ray services is my sister so we can’t complain,” Ms Nakazwe said.
Ms Nakazwe has also thanked health personnel at the hospital, describing them as professional in their conduct.
