-Good health key to development-Chikusu

Good health key to development-Chikusu

Lusaka, June 4, 2013, ZANIS…. Health deputy minister Dr. Patrick Chikusu says good health is a prerequisite for national development and that there is need to strengthen the health sector in order to achieve the goal.

Dr. Chikusu was speaking in Kafue district yesterday during a tour of clinics and Kafue district hospital.

He said the tour of health posts was part of President Sata’s directive to see how the hospitals and clinics are performing.

Dr. Chikusu added that out of over 2,000 clinics that will be constructed in the country Kafue will benefit from five new health posts.

He said that the construction of clinics in Kafue district is scheduled to commence in July this year adding that this is meant to reduce the long distances covered by the residents to receive health care.

Dr. Chikusu added that patients should be handled by qualified and trained nurses who administer correct drugs to avoid disease complications.

He advised the nurses to change their work attitude by resisting bad habits such as spending a lot of time talking on mobile phones because their profession is a noble call of serving lives.

And acting district medical officer Dr. Collin West said that Kafue district hospital was operating to expectation with only a few challenges encountered.

He said the hospital needs to improve its water supply at the level of redesigning the water supply system in order to increase the pressure.

Dr. West said that the staff and the institution lack motivation because they do not receive subsistence allowances.

He appealed to government to look into the matter as the move will go a long way in helping the staff to improve performance.