National News

Government secures funding for abandoned health centres

 

Government has approached Health Sector Joint Fund (HSJF) to finance the construction of seven health centres that were abandoned in the wake of Cashgate, the massive plunder of public resources at Capital Hill.

The seven health centre projects of Mpata in Karonga, Kamphenda in Rumphi, Area 23 Health Centre in Lilongwe, Chikapa and Nancholi Health centres in Blantyre and Chilanga in Zomba, stalled in 2012.

Malango: We are negotiating

Ministry of Health spokesperson Joshua Malango confirmed that the ministry has engaged the fund to help meet the cost of the construction.

However, he could not say how much money will be involved, saying that will depend on the contractors engaged to finish the works.

To ensure that the projects are a success, Malango said the ministry, through the Department of Buildings, has been renegotiating with contractors on the revision of contract sums which has been necessitated by elapse of time.

“Once this is done, contractors are expected back on sites. [As for] Kamphenda, as we said, it was also to do with a contractor who was arrested on Cashgate charges.

“We were advised by Attorney General to proceed and terminate the contracts with the contractors who are answering Cashgate charges.

“That is being done, so we will later re-advertise for new contractors to take up the projects,” said Malango.

Meanwhile, communities surrounding Kamphenda are contemplating of holding demonstrations to force government to construct the health centre.

The residents say they have been heavily affected by the stalling of the project.

Principal group village head Zung’uzu said his subjects are going through hell because of lack of a health facility. n

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