2009 Budget And Expenditure Tracking Survey Reveals Inadequacies In Education And Health Sectors On The Copperbelt
The 2009 Budget and Expenditure Tracking Survey (BETS) has revealed a number of inadequacies in both the education and health sector on the Copperbelt province.In the health sector, of the six health institutions covered only two in Mufulira (Mokambo and Kawama West) have no maternity wards as a result, cases are conducted in isolation rooms or referred to higher institutions in cases of complications and during the night as they do not operate at night.
The survey also reveals that a children ward exists at only one of the six health institutions which is Kamuchanga district hospitals as all other health centers both in Mufulira and Kitwe have no children wards.
On staffing of professional health workers, a serious shortage of key qualified staff at visited health institutions were discovered, especially at rural health centres.
On infrastructure development, the survey reveals that there was no construction, renovations, rehabilitation s or extensions undertaken at any of the three health institutions visited in Mufurila district during the period under review.
Meanwhile in the Education sector, out of the six basic schools covered, only three were planned for construction and extension, two of those are Kitwe while the other is Mokambo basic school in Mufurila.
The survey also reveals shortages in staffing, inadequate grants to meet needs of schools and delays in disbursement of grants from the ministry of education among other things.
And making recommendations based on the findings of the Budget and expenditure survey, Zambia Council for Social Development (ZCSD) Provincial Liaison officer Pascal Bwalya said more effort should be directed at introducing maternity and children wards at all clinics to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates even further.
He also recommended that the ministry of education review the free education policy to allow for increased and effective participation of communities in project management.
Mr. Bwalya said while much has been done in improving health delivery, a lot still needs to be done with regard to improving maternal and children health care services especially in Peri-urban and rural areas.
The survey covered six health institutions in Kitwe and Mufulira namely Chavuma Health centre, Zamtan Health centre, Ndeke health centre, Kamuchanga District hospital Mokambo Health centre and Kawama West clinic.
It also covered six basic schools namely Riverside, Kitwe, Lima, Mokambo, Mupambe and Central basic school.
And commenting on the findings of the 2009 budget and expenditure tracking survey Kanfinsa PF 'Rebel' Member of Parliament Michael Nyirenda said there has been no link between the communities and the MPs office hence the gaps.
He said the survey was two years behind and most of the noted inadequacies in both the education and health sectors had already been tackled by the current government.
ZCSD in collaboration with its partners, Bethesda Zambia and Advocacy on Human Development of Kitwe and Mufulira respectively conducted a BET survey in the education and health sectors.
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