UNICEF with funding support from EU donated bikes
CHILESHE KAFESHI
Zambezi
THE Ministry of Health in Zambezi District has received five motorbikes under the Equal Chances for Human Development (EC4HD) programme to bolster essential health service delivery.
The transport donation was made by the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) with funding support from the European Union (EU) to strengthen service provision across 10 EU-supported health facilities in the district.
In an interview, acting district health director Owen Ntankaila said that the motorbikes will be allocated to high-priority and most vulnerable health facilities in the district.
Mr Ntankaila said that the motorbikes come at an opportune time as the district health office works towards achieving universal health coverage, specifically in maternal and child health care services.
He said mobility has long been a challenge in reaching out to children residing in hard-to-reach rural communities across the vast district.
Mr Ntankaila said that the motorbikes will enhance mobility, ensuring that frontline health personnel easily access underserved populations.
He said the intervention will help improve health coverage in terms of full child immunization programmes and routine health engagements with expectant mothers.
He said the long distances separating rural communities from localized health centers have historically discouraged pregnant women from walking to facilities for essential medical checkups.
“The motorbikes will help bridge this transport gap by bringing healthcare personnel directly to the doorsteps of the rural populace,” Mr Ntankaila said.
He said with the empowerment of the motorbikes, health facility personnel will regularly venture into rural communities to conduct comprehensive and integrated outreach services.
According to Mr Ntankaila, the integrated community outreach visits will cover critical areas such as child nutrition, adolescent health services and routine childhood vaccinations.
He said that the transport logistics will basically assist the district health office to effectively execute its health promotion programmes.
Mr Ntankaila expressed gratitude to UNICEF and the EU for the intervention because the motorbikes will play a vital role in transforming healthcare delivery in Zambezi.
