Zambia has a deficit of 20,000 nurses. And President Edgar Lungu recently directed the Ministry of Health to improve health service delivery by building more facilities countrywide. Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya said Government plans to recruit 30, 000 nurses by 2030 to meet the deficit.
Dr Chilufya said this on Sunday when he officiated at the graduation ceremony for 116 nurses, midwives and public health nurses at Kasama School of Nursing.

“You are employed immediately. You will be posted to all parts of the country to ensure that all citizens access health care services,” he said. Dr Chilufya said priority will be given to rural health institutions grappling with low staffing levels during the deployment exercise. The minister said he will not tolerate those who will go back to the ministry to seek for transfers to urban areas.

And Dr Chilufya said the Ministry of Finance has released K7 million for upgrading of Kasama General Hospital to a central hospital.
He said Government will also build new health facilities in Lukupa, Milima, Chiba and Chief Munkonge’s areas to enhance provision of health services to the people.

Meanwhile, Kasama Central Member of Parliament (MP) Kelvin Sampa said the upgrading of Kasama General Hospital will help Government attain universal health coverage.

Mr Sampa urged the new health workers to serve the people with diligence, passion and professionalism.
And Lukasha MP Mwenya Munkonge urged the nurses to always be ready to work in rural areas as opposed to only targeting health institutions in urban areas.

Mr Munkonge said working in rural areas is not a barrier to progression but should be viewed as a service to humanity.
Last year, Government recruited 455 health workers to improve staffing levels in various