The Zambia National Blood Transfusion Services (ZNBTS) has expressed optimism that North-western province will be self-sustainable in terms of blood banks.
ZNBTS Northern Regional Director Masiku Phiri said he was hopeful that the province will reach zero stock out.
Dr. Phiri was speaking when he paid a courtesy call on Northwestern Province deputy Permanent Secretary, Emmanuel Chihili in Solwezi today.
“We know that the province needs at least 30,000 units of blood to be self-sustainable annually and therefore, a plan will have to be put in place to ensure that we are able to collect such amount of blood,” he said.
Solwezi General hospital has received an advance payment of about K436,000 from the National Health Insurance Management Authority (NHIMA) to improve quality of care for the members.
NHIMA Quality Assurance and Accreditation Director, Mpuma Kamanga said this is out of the approved sum of about K655 thousand.
Dr Kamanga said in a telephone interview in Solwezi today that, this is part of the process to improve quality of care for its members accessing services from the health facility.
He said the facility is expected to work on the outpatient department so as to fast track services for NHIMA members, renovate the specific wards identified for NHIMA members as well as buy equipment and drugs.