As land disputes continue to take centre stage in most parts of the country, the Ministry of Health has fallen victim to massive encroachment.
In some parts of the country, due to growing population and internal displacements, people are constructing personal buildings on lands owned by health facilities.
The encroachers reportedly take advantage of the absence of perimeter walls and necessary by-laws to secure the facilities.
But Minister of Health, Peter Kumpalume, expressed worry over the development, saying government is losing land for future developments apart from inherent security risks.
“Land encroachment is a very big problem in this country, and my ministry is losing a lot of it to illegal settlers. Unfortunately, no one seems to care,” Kumpalume said.
He expressed concern that government is likely to face problems in future when it seeks to upgrade and extend infrastructure at the affected facilities
“There are instances when the town and city have approved construction of structures at wrong places that has also let us down. Let us think of our children many years from now who will want to have better medical facilities which can only happen if government has adequate land,” he said.
Kumpalume said the problem is huge at Rumphi, Nkhotakota and Mangochi district hospitals and Bwengu and Mzuzu health centres among other places.
Chairperson for the Health Committee at Rumphi District Council, Harry Munyenyembe, echoed the minister’s sentiments and called on Health Advisory Committee (Hac) to be vigilant and reclaim land that the district hospital might have lost to lawless individuals.
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