Minister of Health Elijah Muchima has hailed personnel at Lewanika General Hospital in Mongu district in Western Province for their commitment to duty.

Dr Muchima says health services are critical to national development, emphasising that the country cannot develop without health personnel.

He was speaking to Journalists at Mongu Airport enroute to Shang’ombo district ahead of the Child Health Week commemorations.

Dr Muchima disclosed that the government is committed to uplifting the welfare of people in the country through construction of health infrastructure.

The Minister revealed that the government is working hard to improve the health of the people, which includes those that are found in the remotest part of the country.

He added that the government has procured four health scanning machines that are expected to be distributed to Mwandi, Nalolo, Mongu and Sesheke districts in Western Province.

The Minister is optimistic that once the machines are distributed to the health care centres, they will improve health service delivery in the province.

Dr Muchima pointed out that handwork is a cornerstone in any profession, adding that it is a prime base through which a civil servant is evaluated and has since asked medical personnel in the province to remain steadfast in exhibiting high levels of commitment towards work.

He also cautioned civil servants involved in active politics to resign or risk facing disciplinary actions or dismissal from the service.

And Western Province Health Director Samutumwa Njekwa told the Minister that Lewanika General Hospital has in recent years recorded unprecedented infrastructure development.

Dr Njekwa said that the increased number of medical equipment supplied to the hospital such as x-ray, scanning machines and also the construction of the Oxygen plant at Lewanika General Hospital, has reduced referral cases to the University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka.