Eastern Province Broadens Access with 48 New Healthcare Facilities

Eastern Province has seen a dramatic transformation in healthcare delivery over the past five years, with forty-eight new health facilities constructed across the region, bringing essential medical services closer to communities.

Peter Phiri, Eastern Province Minister, said thirty maternity and mothers' shelters have also been built during this period, each equipped with modern neonatal units and delivery rooms designed to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.

The province has also made significant strides in specialist care. A fully operational renal unit has been established at Saint Francis Hospital in Katete, providing dialysis services that previously required patients to travel to Lusaka. A second renal unit is planned for Chipata Central Hospital, which will further ease the burden on families managing chronic kidney conditions.

The Provincial Minister's remarks were delivered on his behalf by Bernard Chimungu, a Public Health Specialist at the Provincial Health Office, during a ceremony marking the handover of 850,000 kwacha by ZSIC Life for the rehabilitation of the female surgical ward at Chipata Central Hospital.

ZSIC Life Chief Executive Officer Collins Hamusonde said the contribution demonstrates the company's commitment to supporting healthcare services beyond its core insurance business. He added that ZSIC Life, which provides health-related insurance coverage, aims to extend its support directly to healthcare delivery across the country.

The Eastern Province improvements mirror similar programmes underway in Northern, Luapula, and Muchinga provinces, as the government works to close the gap between urban and rural healthcare access ahead of its 2026 targets.