Residents team up on temporal health post

RESIDENTS of Kakaindu area in Kalumbila have teamed up to establish a community health post by renting a house at a cost of K2, 000 per month.

This is in a bid to cushion the burden encountered by residents of walking long distances when seeking health services in the absence of a health facility in the area.

Group chairperson

Richard Chiwaya told the Daily Nation that the area has no health facility and people were forced to cover over seven kilometres to the nearest health facility.

He disclosed that the nearest health centre is

Lumwana District Hospital and Kanan’ga near

Maheba refugee camp junction.

He said it had been a challenge for the people especially pregnant mothers to cover such a long distance.

‘’That is how we agreed as a community to start renting a house at a cost of K2,000 which we have turned into a health post where people are accessing health services and health personnel are now operating from there,’’ Mr Chiwaya said. He disclosed that community members were contributing K10 per household towards the rentals and salary of a security guard for the community health post.

Mr Chiwaya has since called on the government to come to their aid by supporting the initiative by the community.

He said the population in the area has increased to over 1000 hence the need for a well-established health facility to put in place.

That is how we agreed as a community to start renting a house at a cost of K2,000 which we have turned into a health post were people are accessing health services and health personnel are now operating from there.’’ — Mr Chiwaya.