Minister of Health, Chitalu Chilufya said the Institution which is expected to be completed in the next two to three months will add three thousand new academic spaces for both undergraduates and postgraduates respectively.
Dr. Chilufya said the Institution will bring about change in the human capital development in the health sector as various health sciences including medicine will be offered there.
The Minister stated that constructions works of the 170 million Kwacha project have reached 90 percent.
He said once complete, the country will also be able to conduct training of specialists which will increase from the current 200 countrywide to more than 500 by the year 2021.
Dr. Chilufya was speaking in Lusaka yesterday when he visited the construction sites for the Institute and the upgrading of the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital.
The Minister stated that government is on track in ensuring a universal health coverage for the 16.2 million Zambians hence improving of health systems beginning with infrastructure, human capital and other variables.
He observed that the country needs to train human resource personnel in a robust manner so as to save people’s lives.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chilufya noted that Zambia’s central position and its democratic credentials qualify the country to be a center of excellence in the region where students from other countries are attracted to be trained in the country.
Meanwhile, Dr. Chilufya explained that the upgrading of Levy Mwanawasa Hospital into an 850 bed capacity will be part of the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital.
He noted that out of the Zambia-China relations, a US$90 million grant was given to Zambia adding that the funds were being used for the project.
The Minister said the new hospital structure will handle all other health cases while the old building will be turned into a specialized maternity annex.
Dr. Chilufya the works which have so far reached 30 percent, were impressive adding that the hospital will be equipped with modern equipment from the grant which will also include an endoscopy unit.
He said doctors and other workers to operate from the endoscopy unit are already being trained in China.
It is fine building these hospitals .The facts speaks for itself that Luanshya hospital is now running without water and the hospital is seriously running .We need to maintain what we have got than building hat we wont maintain.This Hospital could may have been built in solwezi or Mansa to open up that area with a modern health centre to carter for a wide population in that area than Lusaka which already has UTH which we cant even maintain. That is how cities across the world have developed.
What certificates will be given at National Health Training Institute and certificates will be given at Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital?
Its a $17 million project and the china grant of $90 million was used.
Surely the math isn’t adding up…?
Dr. Chitalu Chilufya strikes me as an intelligent and hard – working young minister. The only problem I have with him is that he is too attached to outmoded Western orthodoxies in dealing with alternative therapies that have become accepted in the US and Europe such as the use of medical use marijuana as Lombe (MA) has correctly pointed out. Even the WHO has established the efficacy of marijuana in treating cancer and epileptic patients, but our young minister cannot see this and chooses to be dragged to court over the issue by Peter Sinkamba!
The other bone I have to pick with him is his Lusaka-centric bias in the development and distribution of medical facilities. Of course, there are feeble attempts to spread these to other favoured towns like Ndola and Livingstone. But look at the dilapidation of Kitwe Teaching Hospital. This hospital, established in 1958 as Llewelyn Hospital, is meant to serve the second largest city and serve as a referral hospital for patients in the surrounding provinces. But while old hospitals are being refurbished and new and larger are being constructed in Lusaka, the Kitwe Teaching Hospital seems stuck in a time warp. The only thing that has changed is the appellation from a central hospital to a teaching hospital!
@ Facts….I agree with you, Chilu is proving to be one of the capable hands keeping the PF ship steady against the political turbulence. He is a raging fire brand determined to extinguish all forms of human infirmity brought about by disease , Humble but firmly holding on to his share of the catch for his ministry and making sure that his family (patients) get well soon. AS for the dilapidated health centers , I believe a second phase will be thrown into action to adequately address this. Remember we have more money coming from the plunderers sited in the AG report. This we must get back Zambians ! We cannot allow ourselves to be held at the mercy of criminals. Time to re brand the image of Zambia and its political players with new mark of at most accountability. To chilu , we…
… say , weldone , keep scoring acceleration ! your are heading the ship in the direction of the promised land.
what we all know is that this institutions has management which should take good care of the institute in terms of maintenance not the minister to come and repair pipes ,leaked roofs and cleaning toilets i dont think so ,minister and your gorv job well done unless those who pretend not to see
Honourable Minister, How about establishing a Nationa Health Research Institute in Kitwe, Ndola or Livingstone?The Institute will solely be the purpose of research in Zambia by Zambians and for the benefit of the Zambian citizens.Most of the research in health have been done in the West and does little to benefit Africa.
I am feeling Hajelousy Hagain! Surely, I am being outboxed!
Masters of negativity when everyone sees progress are worshipers of Satan. It will never be a president in Zambia!
progress