An EU grant to help Zambia improve health services

A grant of 35 million euros will go to Zambia to improve health services in the country. The grant money from the EU, will be dispersed through the years of 2009 to 2011. Zambia will use the money to expand health services to help the country meet the health services part of the Millennium Development Goals.

From this All Africa story Zambian Health Minister Kapembwa Simbao made a statement at the grant signing ceremony.

Speaking during the signing ceremony of the financing agreement for supporting public health service delivery amounting to 35 million Euros (approximately K261.1 billion) between the Government and the European Union (EU), M r Simbao said that the finances would contribute to the expansion of health services.

He said that the Government was cognisant of the fact that to effectively deliver quality health care services, there was need for motivated, committed and skilled professional workforce.

The objective of expanding health services, Mr Simbao said would drive the nation to attaining the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as enshrined in the Fifth National Development Plan (FNDP).

"This support is a grant under the 10th European Development Fund and the assistance is a further demonstration of our cordial relationship with the European Commission which emanates from as far back as the 1970's," Mr Simbao said.

He said that the health sector was faced with numerous challenges, which were worsened by the high disease burden compounded by the high prevalence of HIV, shortage of health personnel and inadequate and inappropriate infrastructure.

In order to accelerate the attainment of MDGs, he said that the Government has embarked on the national health strategy plan covering 2006 to 2011.