It was a real delight to show staff at Libuyu Health Centre around their new Maternity and Child Health wing.
Medical Officer Dr Manyara and her team have been watching the building works from behind a perimeter fence, but hadn’t yet seen inside this bespoke facility. There was great excitement all round.
Build It Chief Executive Andrew Jowett with Libuyu Medical Officer Dr Manyara
“This place is going to be full of very happy mothers,” said Dr Manyara.
“We are so grateful to Build It supporters for helping us to improve the welfare and healthcare services here.”
The clinic serves a population of around 20,000 people in a high density compound in Livingstone. Life is difficult for many people across this community who struggle to make ends meet.
The maternity unit includes a delivery room, pre and post natal wards and shower room. It covers 180sqm, plus a generous waiting area under a mango tree and space for visiting families.
New mother Ruth with baby Tracey also enjoyed a sneak preview
The new facility will provide routine maternal child health services including ante and post-natal checks, infant and under-fives vaccinations and growth monitoring. There will also be family planning services.
“I am very impressed with the quality of the workmanship on this complex project,” said Build It Chief Executive Andrew Jowett.
“I would like to pay tribute to our Site Agent Bongani and our three contractors. Emmanuel, Ben and Mike are all graduates of our Training into Work programme.
It makes us all proud to see what they have achieved, and the difference the new facility will make to the community here.”
Left to right: Graduate contractor Benson, Build It Site Agent Bongani, graduate contractors Mike and Emmanuel
Our construction team is applying the finishing touches to the build. The new facility will be officially signed off in early May 2022.
The new wing will then temporarily house the main clinic services, whilst we move onto renovating the old building.
This will help bring the rest of the clinic up to more modern standards, and improve the health care services available to the wider community. The new Maternity and Child Health unit is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2022.
Thank you for your support – together we are #BuildingBrighterFutures in Zambia.
