Flying Docs urged to consider rehabilitating rural aerodromes
VILLAGERS in remote parts of Mufumbwe have urged the management at Zambia Flying Doctor Service (ZFDS) to quickly rehabilitate the Mushima West Four and other airstrips in the area to help enhance its operations to provide quality and specialised health services.
The villagers, among them Headman Kayamboma, Wisdom Kalepa. Kenneth Mwayayi and Wenson Mepuzwyo said they were grateful to the government for reviving the operations of the ZFDS and that, it was important that it considered rehabilitating the airstrips which included Mushima West Four and others.
Mr Mwayayi was speaking in an interview when the ZFDS Mufumbwe Outreach team led by Dr Mukuka Nkole went to provide quality and specialised services to Kasanda Health Centre which was next to Mushima West Four airstrips.
Mr Mwayayi said the communities in remote and hard to reach areas were grateful that despite facing numerous challenges, the ZFDS has continued to reach out and give quality and specialised services.
“As villagers, we are grateful that you can manage to reach this area and provide quality and specialised health services to the people. As you exhibit your determination and commitment to serve people in far flung and hard to reach areas, we would like to encourage you to rehabilitate the Airstrips which you were using when ZFDS was at its peak,” he said.
“With your determination and commitment, you can take ZFDS to greater heights. These airstrips, I mean this one opposite the Kabanda Health Centre was being used to take patients to various places where they could be treated while those whose cases were not complicated, they were treated here by doctors like you have come here,” Mr Mwayayi said.
Last year, during the end of year press briefing, ZFDS Chief Executive Officer George Ng'uni said the service will ensure that in 2024, its presence continue to be felt in various remote areas through improving rural health service delivery and strengthening of aviation operations through acquisition of one helicopter and one pressurised aircraft.
Dr Ng'uni said, apart from strengthening of aviation operations, the ZFDS will also complete the rehabilitation of airstrips and actualising the drone implementation.