THE parliamentary committee on health has expressed concern over several stalled infrastructure development projects and the noticeable absence of infrastructure maintenance in the health sector.
The committee said it was worrying that a good number of projects the government keeps on mentioning in different platforms have not been implemented years after the expiry of their implementation period. In the week, committee members took to task Ministry of Health officials who appeared before the committee on the projects.
Chief of Health Services Charles Mwansambo, who led the ministry officials, admitted that the infrastructure development projects are not progressing as anticipated but was quick to say issues of finances need to be considered when rating the ministry’s performance.
Mwansambo also mentioned delayed procurement processes and the existence of crooked contractors as two of the reasons behind infrastructure development stagnation in the sector.
Committee chairperson Juliana Lunguzi described the stalled projects as eyesores in hospitals and health centres and suggested a 0 out of 10 rating for the ministry in the area of infrastructure development.
Some of the stalled structures that were highlighted include Umoyo Housing Project, Phalombe Health Centre, anti-retroviral therapy clinic and a cancer ward at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital, Embangweni, Domasi, Mponela rural hospitals and flats and Ebola centre at Kamuzu Central Hospital. The long awaited Phalombe District Hospital, whose tendering process was stopped by the AntiCorruption Bureau, was also cited.
“We are not doing well in the area of infrastructure development. We need to sit down and see where the bottlenecks are,” Lunguzi said. She also said things are falling apart in the existing hospitals and
health centres but it no efforts are being made to rehabilitate them. Some district hospitals, including the neglected Salima District Hospital, are operating without equipment such as x-ray machines.
“For three years, we have been told that they don’t have resources for maintenance and new equipment but in medicine you need frequent maintenance and new equipment. We are not doing justice to the people we serve,” Lunguzi said.
Mwansambo cited lack of financial resources as a reason for the ministry’s failure to implement rehabilitation projects.
“For example, we approved the budget for maintenance at the ministry level but it was one of the allocations that was slashed due to budget ceilings. I can’t agree with you more that we haven’t done well in terms of maintenance,” Mwansambo said.
He, however, said there are some donors who have promised to assist in maintaining equipment and procurement.
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