The newly commissioned Kapiri District Hospital has successfully attended to over 2,700 clients seeking various medical services since its commissioning by President Rupiah Banda in April this year.
And Government says contrary to media assertions, the District Hospital was not prematurely opened as it had adequate staff and equipment to meet health services demands in the area.
District Medical Officer, Charles Mwinuna maintained that his hospital is a full fledged health facility as it has attended to 2,752 patients needing health attention since its opening two months ago.
The health institution currently attends to 1,350 Out Patients (OPD), handles 1,123 admissions and successfully conducted 279 deliveries in the two months of its operations.
Dr. Mwinuna said the new hospital has all necessary equipment installed and has received four new Doctors and several other critical cadres to provide quality healthcare to patients in the district.
He said the Hospital is providing promotive, preventive, curative and referral services from the 30 peripheral centers in the district.
Dr. Mwinuna was responding to a question when he and District Commissioner, Kunda Mwila were invited to make clarifications on the operations of the new District Hospital by the Pastors Fellowship of Kapiri Mposhi yestreday.
Concerns in one of the daily tabloids allege that the new hospital was rushed to be opened because it was currently not offering X-ray and theatre services.
Meanwhile, government is considering upgrading the old Kapiri District Hospital into a mini hospital to cater for the increased demand of health services in the district.
Dr. Mwinuna said the Mini Hospital once opened will help decongest the newly commissioned district hospital as it will be able to offer certain basic services being offered at the District Hospital.
District Commissioner, Kunda Mwila on the other hand has pointed out that the hospital was not prematurely opened because it is well staffed and equipped to provide other critical health services .
Mr. Mwila said complaints in some sections of the media by a local person that the new hospital was rushed to be opened are unfounded because the hospital was providing equally other critical health services such as maternity, OPD and was also conducting admissions and many others.
The District Commissioner also said the government did not impose on the citing for the new hospital because there were consultations with various stakeholders in the district and consensus was reached on the positioning of the hospital before it was constructed.
Meanwhile, the Pastors Fellowship in Kapiri Mposhi has commended government for putting up the Hospital in the district.
Pastors Fellowship District Chairman, John Mbulo said the move by government was a clear indication that it cared for its people’s health in the area.
Pastor Mbulo said his Association will ensure it works hand in hand with government to foster development in the district.
“Construction of the Hospital in the district is testimony that the government wants to improve health services provision to its people here, we will work hand-in-hand with government in this area,” Pastor Mbulo said.
The entire Hospital comprising among them maternity ward, out patient department (OPD), X-ray, theatre, administration, admission wards and service blocks and ten staff houses was constructed at the total cost of K11 Billion.
President Rupiah Banda commissioned the Hospital in April this year.
ZANIS