Chipata–Chadiza road upgrade eases pressure on Chadiza health sector

THE upgrade of the Chipata–Chadiza road to bituminous standard has brought significant relief to the delivery of healthcare services in Chadiza District. Chadiza District Health Director Bless Shimuunza said the previous poor state of the road presented challenges in health service delivery. He said the district, which only has one hospital, struggled to transport critically […]

THE upgrade of the Chipata–Chadiza road to bituminous standard has brought significant relief to the delivery of healthcare services in Chadiza District.

Chadiza District Health Director Bless Shimuunza said the previous poor state of the road presented challenges in health service delivery.

He said the district, which only has one hospital, struggled to transport critically ill patients requiring specialized care to Chipata Central Hospital, as the journey took long due to the poor state of the road.

Dr Shimuunza said health facilities along the road that refer patients to Chadiza district hospital also faced delays when ambulances were dispatched due to the poor road network.

“The development on the road has reduced the amount of money allocated towards maintenance and service of utility vehicles and ambulances,” Dr Shimuunza said.

The project that includes over 20 kilometers of township road in Chipata and Chadiza, and four bridges is being undertaken by Sable Construction Limited, and valued at K1.5 billion.