Lusaka Province Minister Bowman Lusambo has directed the provincial medical office to ensure that more doctors are deployed to Chawama level-one hospital in order to improve the patient-doctor ratio.

And Lusambo has also directed Lusaka District Commissioner Captain Davison Mulenga to ensure that the contractor engaged to expand the hospital harmonizes the conditions of service for its employees.

Lusambo said this during his tour of Chawama level-one hospital where he also interacted with patients and mothers.

The patients complained to the Provincial Minister that there was a shortage of doctors against the rising population.

“[There is] lack of manpower, and then the patients are too many. It too much here and they don’t know how to operate things. Just there, children were vomiting at the same place where they are getting temperatures and where they are registering. It’s not healthy and it’s easy to transfer diseases like that,” the patients complained to Lusambo.

But Lusambo assured them that the issue would be looked at and further directed the Provincial health department to examine the problem.

He further toured the construction site within the premises where he learnt that the casual workers, who are Zambian nationals subcontracted by China Wanco, were working under poor conditions of service.

“We have not signed contracts, and then when we have another problem where when it starts raining and we wait for the rains to stop, they don’t tick us, saying that it’s because we are not working during that period. They don’t even provide us with lunch! There is not even transport allowance. And when you try to speak, they fire you! Three of our colleagues have been fired so far,” the workers bitterly complained.

Lusambo, however, directed the DC to engage the contractor and to ensure that the conditions of service for the workers are improved.

“DC, you should look into these issues. So, the DC will work into your issues. You should see the main man and not these supervisors for these people, and even those who have been fired, make sure you trace their contacts and bring them back. Talk to them,” advised Lusambo.

And the Chinese national who was at the site ran into hiding upon seeing Lusambo and his delegation by press time.