The much-awaited Phalombe district hospital’s construction could start any time soon as government has finalised all processes, Minister of Health Peter Kumpalume has said.
Currently, government is waiting for donors Badea and Saudi Fund to give a go-ahead before construction begins.
Reports indicate that the construction of the facility will require about US$13.5 million to be completed.
Phalombe was upgraded to a district status about 15 years ago. Although reports indicate that there have been numerous allocations in the national budget for construction of the hospital since 2005, nothing has happened on the ground.
“We have finished our part, we have shortlisted and submitted names of contractors to the donors and as of now we are just waiting for the donors to give us permission to go ahead with the construction,” Kumpalume said in an interview.
But Kumpalume could not be drawn to disclose names of the contractors.
“I don’t know who the contractors are yet, but even if I had the names, I wouldn’t be in a position to tell you because government is also yet to communicate to them officially, but we are ready if the donors give us a go ahead,” he said.
Early last year Kumpalume also told this paper that construction could start in December then, but up to now no work has started on the ground.
Government hired Norman and Dawbarn in the year 2013 to do detailed designs and layout of the project.
Leave a Reply