THE Pilgrim Wesleyan Church says it regrets the short-lived happiness of President Edgar Lungu’s 2016 directive to the Ministry of Health to immediately deploy doctors at Zimba Mission Hospital who have now left after serving for a few months.
Speaking when the International Leadership Institute for Southern Africa (ILISA) handed over a container of solar panels and other equipment worth K266,000 to Zimba Mission Hospital on Friday, PWC medical administrator Mungoni Simulilika said the services that people in the area enjoyed were no longer available.

“We regret the short lived happiness of the 2016 presidential directive to the Ministry of Health to deploy doctors at Zimba Mission Hospital who have now left barely a few months after being deployed to the area,” Simulilika said.
Simulilika disclosed that Zimba Mission Hospital, which is run by Pilgrim Wesleyan Church, and is the biggest health institution in the district, requires six doctors but currently only one was available.

He appealed to the Ministry of Health to immediately replace the doctors that have left.
And Zimba council chairperson Grave Muleya said it was unfortunate that the hospital which served a population of 98,000 could only have one doctor.

“Zimba is a district today because of this hospital and had it not been for the church that set up a mission here, there was going to be no Zimba we know today. We thank PWC and ILISA for their partnership that today we are celebrating their donation of solar panels to the hospital,” said Muleya.

Meanwhile, Zimba district health director Dr Belita Zulu said other districts like Kazungula and Kalomo also depended on the same hospital for specialised operations hence the donation of solar panels was helpful.
“This hospital is funded as a level 1 facility hence the reason why some specialised doctors cannot be brought here unless it is upgraded to level 2,”said Dr Zulu.

And handing over the solar panels to PWC and a tractor to Love Doors for All Nations, ILISA executive director Muumbe Kalembo said her organisation exists to accelerate the spreading of the gospel in partnership with the church through such donations as well as leadership training. She paid tribute to the American donors Brian Maydew and his friends for their commitment and passion in supporting the Zambian people.

Receiving the donation, PWC deputy national superintendent Reverend Ken Manjimela said his church had a dream to develop Zimba hospital by adding up a nursing school. Meanwhile, Zimba district administrative officer Sekani Tembo said the office of the district commissioner would follow up the matter of doctors at the hospital.