Now Chiefs support RB's mobile hospital idea

When the story that government was planning to establish mobile hospitals in rural areas broke out through a private newspaper it raised a lot of dust. The dust has not settled as debate continues.

Now the House of Chiefs has in its debate welcomed the proposal with members saying the concept would benefit the rural populace which lacked health services.

House of Chiefs chairperson, Chief Mumena of the Kaonde in Solwezi said May 18 Zambians should stop politicking on the mobile hospitals because matters of health were about life and death.

“The House feels that the mobile hospitals is a bright idea. The mobile hospitals are not new in Zambia, we used to have mobile dental clinics in the past,” Chief Mumena told journalists shortly after the House debated the clinics.

The traditional ruler said the rural areas needed the mobile hospitals more than the urban areas describing the situation in the rural areas as an emergency. He said the House of Chiefs felt that while the Government was waiting to construct permanent hospitals, the mobile clinics should be used in rural areas as an alternative. Chief Mumena, however, urged the Government to quickly start constructing feeder roads if the project was to be sustainable.

Earlier during the deliberations, Chieftainess Nyakuleng’a of Zambezi supported the mobile hospitals, saying she needed them in her area as soon as possible, while Chief Jumbe of Mambwe District said the mobile hospitals were viable in rural areas.

Chief Simaamba of Siavonga District and his Samfya counterpart Chief Nsamba said in as much as the mobile hospital concept was good, the Government should first work on the feeder roads in rural areas to improve health delivery.

In welcoming the mobile hospital concept, Chief Kashiba of Mwense District warned that the concept should not be used as a substitute for permanent hospitals.

Chief Nkweto of Chinsali argued that in colonial times, the mobile clinic worked well because the feeder roads were better unlike now where rural areas had no access to good roads making it difficult for the rural populace to enjoy health services.

Chief Ntambu of Mwinilunga District said the mobile hospitals concept on face value was better but it had hidden costs such as maintenance and drivers’ expenses among others.
He said the Government should therefore inject money in building permanent hospitals.

Chief Anananga Imwiko of Lukulu District welcomed the mobile hospitals concept, saying his chiefdom would benefit considering that people had to cover long distances to access health services.

Chief Nzamane of Chipata District who is also the House of Chiefs vice-person called on the House to make the Government accountable in as far as quality health service delivery to the rural areas was concerned.