Government has finally handed over the site for the construction of Phalombe District Hospital to a contractor, raising hope that the district will have a full-fledged public hospital in two years’ time.
Director of Planning in the Ministry of Health Emma Mabvumbe told a cluster meeting with the Parliamentary Committee on Health and HIV and Aids on Tuesday that the handover of the site to Arganim International General Trading and Contracting Company- Well/Plem Construction Limited Joint Venture was on Wednesday.
“Contract negotiations were done on May 29 and the site handover is on May 31 [yesterday],” she said.
The hospital project was supposed to take off 16 years ago when, in 2008, a K13 billion loan was sought from the Arab Bank for Economic Development.
In 2013, the Saudi Bank for Development approved K11 billion loan to supplement money for the construction of the hospital which has now become highly politicised.
Mabvumbe said a no objection to award the contract to the contractors has since been issued by both financiers— Badea and Saudi Fund.
She said construction of the hospital would take two years Mabvumbe also said the ministry is continuing with the construction of Domasi Community Hospital in Zomba after it was abandoned due to non-payment to the contractor.
“The contractor is remobilising after the ministry cleared all outstanding arrears,” she said.
She, however, said the contract sum has been revised to around K7 billion.
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