Zambia: Senga Hill Member of Parliament Henry Sikazwe has issued a two-week ultimatum to the Senga Hill District Health Officer. They have directed the health officers to operationalize the health center, which was constructed using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Sikazwe has also directed the local authority to resolve issues surrounding the facility for the benefit of the community. They want to make sure that the facility can start providing the services to the general public.
He noted that the health center has remained idle for a period of time causing the community to start accessing health care services from TAZARA health post and Ntolondo in Nakonde District.
Sikazwe who is also Muchinga Province Minister said this when he led a team in monitoring CDF projects in Chozi area.
He expressed disappointment that people are subjected to long distances to access health services while the building on which the government spent a colossal sum of money is slowly becoming a white elephant.
“It is unacceptable to continue losing lives because the facility is not connected to electricity,” he narrated.
He has since called on the District Health Office and Council management to ensure the facility is opened to the general public by September 10, 2024.
Further Chozi Ward Councillor Jackson Chama also expressed displeasure over the vandalism on the infrastructure. He highlighted that these include an incinerator, a staff house, toilets and a hand pump borehole.
He explained that the health facility is completed remaining with connection of electricity and redeployment of health staff.
Chama briefed the MP that the facility at TAZARA is too small to cater for over 15,000 people from Chozi Central Business Center and the surrounding areas.
“This facility, once opened, will also cater to areas such as Namalanga, Changa, Nasayanga, and Milembe,” he shared.
Meanwhile, both the traditional leadership and the community in the area are concerned about the time it has taken to complete works on the facility. Headman Chelenje Saxison Silungwe noted that people in the area are forced to cover long distances to access the services.