Status: Finished

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Introduction

We would like to rehabilitate our Rural Health Centre at Chalabesa (RHC). Through lightning during the rainy season the solar equipment of the RHC burnt out and some panels, cables and batteries need replacement. The water system is in need of repair and some of the toilets and ablution facilities are in urgent need of repair.

General Situation and Environment

The White Fathers founded Chalabesa Mission in 1934. In 1983 the Sisters of Mary Immaculate (LSMI) a Polish-Zambian Congregation, the same that is running the Kasisi Orphanage in Lusaka, started health services to the people of Chalabesa. With the help of MISSIO (Aachen) and the BEIT Trust, a RHC was built. It has 50 approved beds.

During the last decade the founding sisters have handed over the managment of the hospital to Zambian Sisters of the same congregation. Four of their sisters are currently working in the hospital in different capacities. The congregation is also represented at the Diocesan Health Board.

Chalabesa RHC is situated in Mpika District, in the Northern Province of Zambia; 100km north-west of Mpika Township. The RHC is 30km off the Kasama-Mbala road. Mpika is Zambia's largest district covering over 50,000 km² with an estimated population of over 155,000 people. Chibemba is the language spoken in the area.

Road infrastructure is poor. The tarmac road to Dar is under repair. The other roads are mostly dirt roads in bad condition. Frequently cars get stuck in rainy season and it takes more than one hour driving to reach the tarmac from Chalabesa. Most people are living as subsistence farmers, growing maize, cassava, groundnuts and beans. There are also some livestock, but these are not farmed commercially.

Figures issued by the World Bank (Word Development Report 1997) indicate that the proportion of the population in Zambia living below the poverty line in the years 1981-1995, was 84.6%, one of the highest recorded levels in the world. Within Zambia itself, the Northern Province is one of the poorest areas, lacking the proximity of the urban areas. Chalabesa's catchment area is large. The number of people depending on the RHC for preventive care is estimated at 8,500. For curative care, the figure is considerably higher since people from other RHC are usually referred to Chalabesa.

With the rapid decline of the mining industry in the Copperbelt, the last decade has seen the earlier migration to the big cities begin to reverse. Many workers are returning to their home villages. A large number of returnees have carried the AIDS virus with them, introducing infection to the rural areas. The AIDS pandemic has left very few families unaffected. The extended family, wich traditionally provided support, is simple incapable of coping with the unprecedented burden of orphans.

Project

The successfully rehabilitate the RHC the following was needed.

• 9 solar panels (75 Watt) have to be replaced
• 3 new toilets to be installed
• 7 flushing units to be renewed
• 10 new ½" tabs to be installed
• 10 shower roses to be replaced
• 6 6m galvanised pipe, ½", to be replaced
• 6 6m galvanised pipe, ¾", to be replaced
• 1,000 m PVC pipe, 2", from source to water tank, to be renewed

Many pipes are stuffed up or rotten and need flushing and replacement. Tabs and cisterns, which are broken, need to be replaced by new ones. Three toilet pans need to be installed, since the old ones are beyond repair. Ten shower roses have to be replaced. The main work will be to dig up the old asbestos pipe bringing the water from the source to the water tank. The pipe has to be replaced since it is broken in many places and precious drinking water is seeping into the ground.

As regards the electrical installation: All solar panels need to be replaced and installed properly. The cables have to be redone, so do switches, batteries, voltage regulator and the sinus inverter (DC/AC).

Own contribution by the RHC and the diocese in a joint venture:

• Specialised workers (plumber/electrician) accomodation on site
• All labour expenses
• Transport (purchases and delivery)
• Clearing site, digging, laying pipes and back filling
• Plumbing
• Electrical reticulation, putting new cables, installing and testing solar installation

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