Japan and Zambia Celebrate the Ground-breaking of “The Project for Upgrading Health Centres to District Hospitals in Copperbelt Province“
2021/4/30
On 23rd April 2021, Mr. MIZUUCHI Ryuta, Ambassador of Japan to the Republic of Zambia, and Hon. Dr. Jonas Chanda, Minister of Health of the Republic of Zambia, officiated at the Ground-breaking Ceremony for “The Project for Upgrading Health Centres to District Hospitals in Copperbelt Province”, which aims to improve basic medical services in Ndola and Kitwe Districts funded by the Government of Japan amounting up to 2.65 billion Japanese Yen (approx. 24 million US Dollars).
The Project is for upgrading two Health Centres, one in Kitwe, Chamboli and the other in Ndola, Mushili in Copperbelt Province, to Level 1 Hospitals respectively. This is the third cooperation of this kind from the Government of Japan, following previous undertaking to upgrade the health centres to District Hospitals in Lusaka Province in the years 2013 and 2016 respectively, which exceeded 23 billion Japanese Yen.
This Project is expected to contribute to bringing about improved access of a large number of civil population of Copperbelt Province to advanced medical services, and mitigate the current situation being experienced by both Chamboli and Mushili Health Centres, where the patients who need to take advanced treatments have to go to level 2 and 3 hospitals located far away. This is further expected to prevent chronic congestion of surrounding advanced hospitals in the province most effectively, and thereby contribute to the consolidation of the Provincial referral system as a whole by reducing the number of unnecessary referrals.
Japan is committed in its role in Zambia’s development and that of Zambia as a model for Africa, and endeavours to contribute to achieving the nation’s sustainable development in the end, including the health sector.
To read the speech by Ambassador MIZUUCHI at this ceremony, please click here.