Inadequate Funding Affects Provision of Food at PE Hospital
Utility bills are pegged at K12 million for the district hospital only besides procurement of fuel among others
- pic courtesy of social media
Phalombe District Health Office (DHO) has resorted to providing two meals a day to patients at Phalombe district hospital, owing to inadequate funding.
District health office spokesperson, Daniel Chilomo, has told Zodiak Online on Wednesday that they are now providing breakfast and late lunch at 2 pm arguing K21 million which the district receives monthly is not enough to cater for operations.
He said utility bills are pegged at K12 million for the district hospital only besides procurement of fuel among others.
"We are financially constrained as such we have decided to trim number of meals provided to patients to two per day," said Chilomo.
He said the facility is still using the old budget which they were using before opening the state of the art hospital.
Health rights activist, George Jobe, has described the development as sad urging the government to review the budget since it is operating on old budget.
Jobe added that food is part of the healing process, urging authorities to review budget for Phalombe district hospital.
During official opening of the Phalombe district hospital president Lazarus Chakwera urged authorities to swiftly review the district’s budget for smooth delivery of health services.
