Minister praises Zolozolo clinic project

Minister of Information, Tourism and Civic Education Jappie Mhango has commended the Gaming Board for bankrolling construction of a health centre at Zolozolo in Mzuzu.

The K25 million ($41 806) facility under construction means residents of the populous township no longer have to endure long distances and extra costs to access healthcare services at Mzuzu Health Centre which is currently overwhelmed by patients as the city has no district hospital.

District health officer Khumbo Shumba said the emerging centre will help improve maternal and child health services at a time nearly 15 babies are born every day at the existing facility.

Shumba underscored the need for additional structures—especially a fence, incinerator, placenta pit and staff houses.

“For quality and timely service delivery in the martenity wing, we need one or two skilled health workers to be resident within the health centre premises,” Shumba told the minister on Friday.

Speaking when he toured the construction site, Mhango asked the council, which is building an ablution block on site, to engage more partners.

“I’m excited with the progress of the works and I implore other partners to join hands with government to improve service delivery as the Gaming Board has done,” he said.

The board which regulates the country’s nascent gaming industry is mandated to invest part of its revenue to improve lives of Malawians.

Gaming Board chief executive officer Master Maliro said they generated about K220 million last year–with up to K25 million going into the facility aimed to decongest Mzuzu Health Centre.

The project was initially budgeted at K16 million, but the cost will go up as the board strives to close some gaps noted by the DHO.