Government has commissioned a water scheme at St Francis Central Hospital in Katete District at a cost of K5 million.

The water facility will address the challenge of water scarcity faced by the institution and other surrounding communities in the area for many years.

The commissioning of a water scheme is in line with the government’s resolve to empower communities with adequate water supply systems in the wake of the drought disaster in order to foster irrigation, access to safe water throughout the country.

Speaking when he commissioned the water facility, Minister of Water Development and Sanitation, Mike Mposha said the government remains committed to providing quality water and sanitation services to citizens.

“As you may be aware, water supply and sanitation has been identified as a key component of human and social development in the Eighth National Development Plan (8NDP), as access to clean and safe water and adequate sanitation services play a critical role in fostering social economic development. It is against this background that the new dawn government has prioritised investment in water and sanitation through increased budgetary allocations,” he said.

Meanwhile, St Francis Central Hospital Senior Medical Superintendent, Lalick Banda appreciated the timely solution to the institution’s water challenges.

Dr. Banda highlighted that the water scheme will alleviate the water challenges that the hospital faces in its pursuit to deliver quality health care services to its catchment.

The hospital which has been in existence for 76 years, admits 500 patients in its wards and attends to about 500 patients at the outpatient department on a daily basis.

Earlier, Mr Mposha paid a courtesy call on the Kalonga Gawa Undi of the Chewa people of Zambia, Malawi and Mozambique.