Govt demands results, accountability in Luapula health sector

Government has declared that the era of business-as-usual in the health sector was over, calling for stronger accountability and measurable improvements in service delivery across Luapula Province. Speaking during the Provincial Integrated Meeting in Samfya on Thursday, Permanent Secretary, Prudence Kangwa, said every investment in the sector must translate into improved health outcomes for citizens. She acknowledged ongoing progress but stressed the need to strengthen performance management and close existing gaps.

“The Government and the people of Zambia expect results, accountability, and measurable improvements in service delivery,” Kangwa said. She pointed out that under the leadership of President Hakainde Hichilema, health had been prioritised as a key pillar of national development, with reforms aimed at expanding access and improving quality of care through the Ministry of Health Zambia. Kangwa claimed that increased funding through the Constituency Development Fund had accelerated infrastructure development, resulting in the completion of four maternity annexes and the operationalisation of ten health facilities across the province in 2025.

She added that maternal deaths had reduced from 49 in 2024 to 42 in 2025, while perinatal deaths dropped by 21 percent. “These achievements are commendable, but we must remember that behind every number is a life,” she said. Kangwa, however, expressed concern over continued high maternal mortality rates and the low uptake of early infant HIV diagnosis, currently at 39.1 percent.

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She urged health officials to intensify interventions, saying no woman should die in childbirth and every newborn deserved a healthy start. She called on health workers and stakeholders to use the meeting as a turning point for strengthening service delivery. “This platform must produce clear, actionable solutions that will strengthen our health system and improve lives,” she said.

Kangwa urged leaders in the sector to uphold discipline, teamwork and integrity, emphasising that health service delivery was a calling to serve humanity and a critical pillar in building a healthy and productive Zambia. This material, and other digital content on this website, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed in whole or in part without prior express permission from ZAMBIA MONITOR.

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