LUSAKA, Aug. 16 — Zambia said on Thursday that it has signed a contract with NMS Infrastructure Limited, a United Kingdom (UK)-based firm, to construct five new hospitals as part of efforts to improve healthcare service delivery. The company will also build 120 health centers as part of the 427-million-U.S.-dollar deal. The construction of the facilities is expected to be completed by 2027. “For a long time now, access to quality healthcare services has been a challenge for many Zambians, especially those living in rural and hard-to-reach areas. Too many of our citizens have had to travel long distances to reach the nearest hospital or clinic,” Minister of Health Elijah Muchima said during a press briefing.
He said the construction of health facilities is a transformative initiative that will address the critical shortage of health facilities and bring the country closer to achieving universal health coverage for all citizens. According to Muchima, improving access to quality healthcare services has been a top priority for the government, hence the decision to invest heavily in expanding and upgrading health facilities across the country. The minister also said the construction of the 120 health centers will bring quality primary healthcare services closer to communities that have long been underserved. He added that the construction of a new cancer treatment center in the city of Ndola in the Copperbelt Province and the rehabilitation of the cancer hospital in Lusaka, the country’s capital, have begun and are expected to be completed by January 2026.
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