Your generous support is bringing positive change to the community living around Libuyu Health Centre, Livingstone.
As well as a new Maternity and Child Health wing, we have completed an extensive redevelopment of the existing clinic building. This will help improve healthcare services available to the wider community.
Previously:
The existing building was not designed as a health centre. Some sections of the main building were over 30 years old, and in a delipidated condition. The number of patients attending the clinic has risen dramatically over the years, and as a result healthcare services have been squeezed into the limited space available.
Money is often spent on the construction of new buildings in Zambia. As a result old structures are often abandoned, even when the structure is sound.
We wanted to take a more holistic approach at Libuyu to adapt and reuse the existing clinic building. Some of the current challenges stem from the building’s poor layout, and inefficient use of the rooms and spaces available. We assessed the building to look at how we could make it more effective and efficient.
Libuyu Health Centre
What we did with your support:
We wanted to improve space, layout and patient flow. Building the new Maternity and Child health unit has helped to create desperately needed space.
The existing building has been reconfigured to include:
- New consultancy, treatment and examination rooms
- New pharmacy, laboratory plus storage space
- Remodelled inpatient wards to create separate spaces for male, female and child wards of 4 to 6 beds
- Improved and upgraded toilets and sanitation
The clinic staff did an amazing job ensuring the delivery of vital healthcare services continued during the redevelopment. Some services were temporarily moved into the new new maternity wing. Others were relocated to a small outbuilding behind the main clinic building, and others were delivered outside during the dry weather.
Roof coverings and ceilings were taken down. The timber trusses were demounted.
Assessing and analysing the structural integrity of foundations and walls was vital. The findings showed no structural cracks, which appear when foundations settle unevenly. However, there are number of issues with the blockwork.
We improved the structural integrity of the walls by replacing some of the blockwork, and reinforced some of the walls with steel bars or brick force wire. We also introduced a concrete ring beam to run around all the walls to improve load distribution.
Some of the internal walls were demolished. New walls were put up.
The existing timber structure of the roof was in very poor condition. New timber rafters and purlins were mounted. All the timber was treated to help deter termites who can cause serious issues.
Summer temperature in Livingstone ranges between 34 to 42 degrees. The design of the roof echoes that seen in the new maternity wing. The addition of a row of windows will improve ventilation, and as a result help reduce the temperature on the wards.
New roof with improved ventilation
Build It graduates Emmanuel, Benson and Mike have worked as contractors to deliver this project. They also led the construction of the new maternity wing.
They offered other graduates the opportunity of work to help with plastering, painting and tiling at Libuyu. Several graduates took up this offer and moved down to Livingstone for a few weeks. They gained money and valuable experience. It is fantastic to see the experienced Build It graduates supporting newer ones into employment.
Graduate Angel tiling the shower room at Libuyu Health Centre
Old sanitation facilities have been replaced
The redevelopment has been an ambitious and complicated phase of our work at Libuyu Health Centre. It has been an exciting project which will bring significant benefits to the health and wellbeing of the community living around this busy clinic.
Thank you for your support in #BuildingBrighterFutures in Zambia.
