17/09/2025
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
PRESIDENT HICHILEMA HANDS OVER 119 AMBULANCES TO CONSTITUENCIES
President Hakainde Hichilema has handed over 119 ambulances to various parliamentary constituencies in the country.
The 119 ambulances are part of the 156 which the government has purchased for all constituencies in the country using the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
Speaking at the handover ceremony in Lusaka today, President Hichilema reiterated the government's commitment to improving primary health care as evidenced in its decentralisation to local level, among other functions.
He said government has made commitments to implement the 2023 national decentralisation policy through the devolution of functions to local authority level.
To actualise this, President Hichilema said government has continued to allocate more finances to the local level through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF).
He said this in a speech read for him by Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Gift Sialubalo.
The Head of State has since directed the Ministry of Health to build the capacity of all ambulance service personnel in basic life support services such as first aid.
"To the local authorities, I entrust these ambulances to you with the full confidence that you will manage and utilise them with the utmost care and responsibility. You will have to ensure that this valuable asset to your community is properly maintained, and I have no doubt they will serve you well, " the President said.
Speaking at the same event, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development Permanent Secretary for Technical Services, Nicholas Phiri, announced that the ambulances were purchased at a cost of US$89,500 each.
He has since commended the Head of State for the cost-effective delivery of the ambulances.
"Thank you for giving us the opportunity to demonstrate that it is possible to deliver at a price competitive in the history of this country, having bought these ambulances at only 89,500 US dollars per piece," Mr Phiri said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Elijah Muchima, has assured that the ambulances will be handled with utmost care to ensure they benefit more people.