Launching Ceremony of One Stop Service Centre at Mikata Rural Health Centre in Mpongwe District
Youth Centre Speech by the Ambassador
Skit by SMAG on maternal, new born, and child health Group photo at Maternity Waiting House
On September 23rd, 2017, the launching ceremony of the One Stop Service Centre, now equipped with the newly constructed Maternity Waiting House and Youth Centre among others, took place at Mikata Rural Health Centre in Mpongwe District, Copperbelt Province. The One Stop Service Centre was constructed as a part of the “Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) One Stop Service Project in Masaiti and Mpongwe Districts in Zambia”. This project was implemented based on a Grant Contract with Japanese Organization for International Cooperation in Family Planning (JOICFP) in December 2014, and the total amount of up to 1,747,130 USD was made available by the Government of Japan as the Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects. Mikata Rural Health Centre became the third One Step Service Centre after Mutaba Rural Health Centre in Masaiti District and Kalweo Rural Health Centre in Mpongwe District.
At the ceremony, Mr. Hidenobu Sobashima, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, Mr. Elias Kamanga, Permanent Secretary of Copperbelt Province, Dr. Consity Mwale, Copperbelt Provincial Health Director, Ms. Sumie Ishii, Chairperson of JOICFP and Mr. Michael Bwalya Chimponda, Chairperson of the Planned Parenthood Association of Zambia (PPAZ) made congratulatory statements.
Also, members of Safe Motherhood Action Groups (SMAG) performed a skit that portrayed the safety of child delivery at the Maternity Waiting House of the centre, as an enlightening activity.
This project is development cooperation aiming to improve the health of expectant mothers and newborn babies within the 10 target areas of Masaiti and Mpongwe Districts. With the newly constructed Maternity Waiting House among others, expectant women in the areas have obtained access to the places of appropriate medical treatment capacities and facilities.
Through the “Grant Assistance for Japanese NGO Projects” scheme, the Government of Japan provides grant assistance to Japanese NGOs which implement economic and social development projects in developing countries.
To read the speech by Ambassador Sobashima at this ceremony, please click here.