Mobile hospitals: Bringing quality health services closer to the people

By ALEX NJOVU

 

“I THANK President Banda and the MMD Government for bringing mobile hospitals because they are proving to be efficient in the provision of health services to the people,” said Alice Mbewe of Ndeketownship in Kitwe recently.
This was after she was treated of suspected malaria by mobile hospital medical personnel.
“Professional health officials examined me. I was given drugs which I took and I feel much better,” Ms Mbewe said.
She said the medical services that are being provided by Government through mobile hospitals will go a long way in improving the health of Zambians, especially those living in rural areas.
Ms Mbewe is not alone in her appreciation of Government initiative to procure mobile hospitals.
Mulenga Bwalya,57, of Mulenga Township in Kitwe is happy with President Banda’s commitment to bringing health services closer to the people.
“We used to cover long distances just to get to the nearest clinic in Wusakile Township but we are now happy that Government is bringing these services closer to us,” she said.
Ms Bwalya said President Banda’s government has scored a plus in the provision of health services in Zambia.
She said the people of Mulenga Township are happy with the way the MMD government is running the affairs of the nation.
There was jubilation and ululation in Kitwe’s Ndeke Township when President Banda commissioned the mobile hospital last Saturday.
Women clad in traditional chitenge materials sang songs of joy as the President commissioned the mobile hospital.
Kitwe is not the only beneficiary of mobile health services.
President Banda has so far commissioned mobile hospitals in Kapiri Mposhi, Mazabuka, Mumbwa and Chongwe.
Doris Mulenga of Kapiri Mposhi’s Kofi area says the procurement of mobile hospitals by Government is a relief to many, especially mothers in rural areas.
Mrs Mulenga, a mother of four, says access to health services like the laboratory and theatre in rural areas is like a taboo.
She says with the launch of the mobile hospitals countrywide, such problems will be a thing of the past.
“I never dreamt of having health care provided as near to us as possible. This initiative by Government is a relief not only to me but also to other mothers and children,” Mrs Mulenga said.
The idea of mobile hospitals has received criticisms from the opposition political parties and has been associated with campaign strategies by the Government.
But for the people in rural areas who are the intended beneficiaries, the procurement of the mobile hospitals is the right step in reducing the disease burden that most people in rural areas are faced with.
Senior Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe of the Lenje people in Central Province said people in his area have already benefited from mobile hospitals.
“My people are happy with this initiative and I wonder why you people in town (urban) are shooting down this idea. We are happy with this initiative and we are starting to see the benefits,” he said.
Some people have been dying in Zambia, especially rural areas, every year because of lack of adequate health services.
It is because of this that Zambia, through a government-to-government agreement with China, procured mobile health sets to bring health services closer to communities.
Nine sets of mobile health units have been procured to cover all the nine provinces in the country.
A unit comprises seven sets which include an outpatient vehicle, X- ray motor vehicle, theatre motor vehicle, laboratory motor vehicle, dispensary and audio visual motor vehicle, power and water supply motor vehicle and living motor vehicle.
The government also procured 17 ambulance boats with medical equipment installed inside. The third component includes 12 transport boats and equipment for static facilities.
Ministry of Health deputy director for technical support services, Canisius Banda explained that the mobile units will be stationed at the provincial medical office.
“The units will only be operational for 13 days in a month. The provincial office will draw up a programme of their movements,” he said.
Dr Banda said the mobile units are needs-based, meaning they will only be taken to places where there is need for the service.
He said the provincial health offices will work in collaboration with districts to determine the mobile hospital movement.
Dr Banda says health promotion and education activities will also be carried out as well as the screening for both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
With the launch of mobile hospitals, it is hoped that they will effectively contribute to Government’s efforts to meet the millennium development goal on health provision.