Spar builds ARV clinic

SPAR Zambia has built an anti-retroviral (ARV) therapy clinic in Choma at a cost of K140,000.
The clinic, which houses screening, data entry, waiting and drug storage rooms among others, is at Shampande Urban Community Health Centre.
Previously, some patients seeking ART adherence would receive the service under a tree owing to inadequate space at the old two-room ART clinic.
Speaking during the handover of the structure on Friday, Spar Choma managing director Rebecca Beckett said the construction of the ART clinic was the company’s largest corporate social responsibility project.
Ms Beckett said she was hopeful the new structure will facilitate an efficient and effective health service and in turn help reduce HIV cases in the community.
“The construction of Shampande ART clinic has been our largest single project to date costing K140, 000. Last December, we donated items to the maternity ward valued at over K40, 000,” she said.
Ms Beckett also thanked the Centre for Infectious Disease Control Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) for equipping the new clinic with furniture.
And Choma district commissioner Bernadette Hamweemba called on the business community in Choma to emulate Spar’s commitment to supplementing Government’s efforts of improving healthcare services in the district.
In a speech read for her by district administrative officer Vincent Sikanyela, Ms Hamweemba called on the business community to actively participate in the fight against HIV.
She urged residents to make use of the new ART centre and go for voluntary counselling and testing.
Acting district community medical officer Austin Muchanga said over 1,000 patients are on ART at the health centre.

Zambia Daily Mail