The United Kingdom Government has handed over Emergency Obstetric Care Equipment worth K32 billion to the Ministry of Health.
The items donated include operating tables, beds and infant incubators among other items to help address the high rate of maternal mortality in the country which has resulted in the loss of many lives.
Speaking during the hand over ceremony in Lusaka today, Department for International Development (DFID) Head Office in Zambia Mike Hammond
assured the Zambian government of his country’s continued support in reducing the number of women who died during child birth.
“DFID is supporting Zambia in efforts to tackle maternal mortality through 7.2 million pounds maternal health programme for 2009-2012”
Mr. Hammond said.
Mr. Hammond noted that Zambia had made significant improvement in the fight against Maternal mortality with rates reducing from 729 in 2002 to 591 per 100, 000 live births in 2007 according to the Demographic Health Survey (DHS).
He also observed that further progress in the attainment of this goal was being hindered by lack of trained health workers, inadequate supplies of medicines and emergency equipment such as the ones donated today.
And speaking at the same occasion, Ministry of Health Deputy Minister Christopher Kalila said Government appreciated the support from its cooperating partners in meeting some of its goals.
Dr. Kalila said the equipment donated would not only help in the reduction of maternal mortality rate in the country but would also greatly contribute in the attainment of Millennium Development Goals (MDG’S) on health.
Dr. Kalila said it was Governments wish to ensure that by 2012 about 86 ‘Government facilities were equipped with emergency obstetric care.
Despite the perceived corruption, these guys still donate. I wonder what the issue of “corrupt leader” is all about.
Where is the pride of Zanbian Government–everything is a donation–just busy preparing a speech for handovers receiving ceremony.
As long as “Dr. Miti is nowhere near this equipment. It may help women who need this kind of help
health planers ..these donated equipments may not achieve anything if the personnel is not equipped with enough knowledge and motivation in form of good and appreciated salaries..consider working conditions, train enough people so as not to overwork the two qualified obstetricians you have the whole Zambia and then come up with a long term strategy……..maternal mortality must be a thing of the past..it’s like having people die of cholera…stupid government…in this part of the world,when a woman dies in labor it’s a big issue..every responsible face must clear himself otherwise law takes it’s duty..so get up and do the job!!!!
In my view the failure of our successive governments lies in having no planning for development in all vital sectors. Since independence, we should by now have been comfortably making some of these simple equipments so that we now only worry about sophisticated things. How do we develop if we don’t even start?
No stealing of equipment please .tuntemba hospitals buy your own equipment.
So President RB will be donating this same equipment to one of the so-called community hospitals- watch this space.
When such aid is being donated to the government, we never hear of RB and George Kunda say anything negative about it, BUT, only when the donors ask for accountability and transparency are these chaps able to stand up to say, “We did not ask anyone to fund the road sector or the health sector, so they must not use that as blackmail.”
for as long as people do not pay for their health care well before they get ill, the health situation will remain the same. health services are expensive citizen and gov need to meet the cost together. and a better vehicle to deliver this has to be found
We will just be receiving (donations),Ba RB was saying nobody needs the donors…32 billion is not a joke,imagine how long it will take for this corrupt,thieving MMD govt to realise such an amount.Its good we were colonised by the British other had it been the french ,you would be sorry by now.They will steal again,then if asked,they will say its political interference.Wait and see.