- Medics to be deployed to rural, underserved areas
MATHEWS MALAZIKA,
FANNY KALONDA
Lusaka
GOVERNMENT will employ 210 medical doctors under the ongoing 2025 health personnel recruitment process in addition to the 727 engaged between 2023 and 2024.
Minister of Health Alex Katakwe told Parliament yesterday that the process for the 2025 recruitment is nearing conclusion.
This was in response to a question by Kalabo Central Member of Parliament Chinga Miyutu, who wanted to know how many medical doctors Government employed from 2023 to 2025, year by year.
In response, Dr Katakwe said in 2023, Government employed 277 doctors while 450 were engaged in 2024.
“For 2025, at least 210 doctors are expected to be recruited upon completion of the ongoing recruitment process,” he said.
The minister said Government plans to deploy doctors to rural and underserved areas as part of its ongoing efforts to strengthen the workforce and improve access to health services.
Dr Katakwe also said the patient-doctor ratio now stands at 12,000 patients against one doctor.
“Currently, with the stateof-the-art equipment we have brought into the country, and we are installing in various health facilities, we need specialisation,” he said.
“It is the mandate of the Ministry of Health to have many skilled personnel recruited.”
Earlier, during commemoration of World Health Day, Dr Katakwe said Government is installing hi-tech equipment at Cancer Diseases Hospital in Lusaka to reduce referrals abroad.
The minister said referring patients abroad will be a thing of the past because of the investments Government is putting in the health sector…https://enews.daily-mail.co.zm/welcome/home
