Five big contractors who were hired to fix up Kitwe Teaching Hospital (KTH) have apparently left the project, even though they got more than K15 million from the government.
Dr. Chileshe Mboni, the Senior Medical Superintendent at Kitwe Teaching Hospital, said that the government provided a lot of money to completely renovate the second-largest health facility in the country. But the work, which was supposed to be done in three to eight months, has now been stuck for over two years.
In an exclusive interview, Dr. Mboni shared his worries about the slow progress, mentioning that the delays are hurting the hospital’s ability to serve thousands of patients in the Copperbelt and nearby areas.
Dr. Charles Mwinuna, the Copperbelt Provincial Health Director, called the situation “deeply unfortunate” and said the government plans to call all five contractors to figure out what to do next.
The contractors involved are Insulation Investments, Luanshya Engineering, Main Way Construction, Yusamat, and Pine Commercial.
At the same time, Kitwe District Commissioner Oncemore Ngonomo labeled the abandonment as a clear case of theft, emphasizing that public money needs to be properly accounted for. He stated that contractors who take money but do not complete the work should face legal action.
Some contractors, when reached for comments, mentioned that delays in getting building materials and rising costs due to inflation were reasons for stopping the work. Others asked for more financial help, saying the original budget can no longer cover what needs to be done.
The Ministry of Health, along with other government departments, is expected to start investigations and put accountability measures in place to make sure the important hospital upgrade gets finished.
