Signing Ceremony held on the Project for the implementation of the Project for Construction of Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair Workshop in Lusaka

　

On 25th August, the Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, His Excellency Mr. Akio EGAWA, on behalf of the Government of Japan, signed the Grant Contract with Churches Health Association of Zambia (CHAZ) under the Japanese Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects for the implementation of the Project for Construction of Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair Workshop in Lusaka. The Grant amounting to 102,181 United States dollars, approximately 480 million Zambian Kwacha to facilitate the implementation of the Project for Construction of Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair Workshop in Lusaka. The purpose of the Project is to improve efficiency and effectiveness in the operations of the organisation through timely and professional maintenance and repair of medical equipment thereby enhancing its capacity to provide quality and readily-accessible health and medical care services in the clinics and health posts under their jurisdiction throughout the country. Specifically, the funds provided will be used for the construction of the Medical Equipment Maintenance and Repair Workshop as well as for the procurement and installation of the required workshop equipment and tools.
TheCHAZis an inter-denominational, non-governmental umbrella organization of church-assisted health institutions located in different parts of Zambia. In collaboration with cooperating partners, and through international initiatives like the Global Fund, CHAZ coordinates the provision of health and medical care services to clinics and health centres and facilitates the running of such programmes as HIV and AIDS mitigation initiatives, diagnosis and treatment of TB, malaria and other diseases, training of health workers, provision of drugs and support to orphans as well as facilitation of technical skills exchange programmes. Currently CHAZ is directly involved in running 126 clinics and health posts spread throughout Zambia.
Over the years, the efficiency and effectiveness of CHAZ to deliver on its mandate has been compromised by frequent breakdown of medical equipment and the ensuing long delays in getting the equipment repaired. Whenever there is a breakdown at any of the clinics or health posts, CHAZ has to dispatch a team of experts to the site to carry out repairs. This has proved particularly challenging due to inadequate staff and tools to cover the whole country.
It is for this reason that the Government of Japan decided to extend financial assistance to the organization to enable it implement this project.
It is hoped, therefore, that once constructed and furnished with the required repair equipment and tools, the workshop will give CHAZ and their medical technical staff enough space to storage and repair of broken down equipment as well as for training and skills transfer to staff in charge of the equipment at outlying sites throughout the country. The expectation is that once trained in basic diagnosis and repair, staff at different sites will be able, on their own, to carry out routing diagnosis, service and maintenance tasks. In this way the life span of the medical equipment will be enhanced to continue serving the community for a longer period and contributing to the improvement of their quality of life. It is further hoped that the Project will contribute to the further strengthening of the cordial relations that exist between the people Japan and the people of Zambia.

 

To read the speech made by Ambassador Egawa at this ceremony, please click here.

 


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