THE Zambian Government has hailed the Scottish Government for standing with the country in delivering services in various sectors including health.

Speaking when Scottish Government Head of International Development Joanna Keating visited the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) on Wednesday, Health Permanent Secretary (Donor Coordination) Dr George Sinyangwe noted that Scotland has for many years been Zambia’s ardent partner.

He said the Zambian Government appreciates the support received from the Scottish Government who have been an all-weather friend and have committed significant resources to ensuring that quality of health care provided by facilities in Zambia is of the highest standard.

He noted that the support received from KidsOR (Kids Operating Room) which renovated and fully furnished nine operating rooms in Zambia would go a long way in addressing access to safe surgery for children.

Dr Sinyangwe said that in Zambia children below 18 years make over 50% of the country’s population and access to quality, timely and safe surgery for these children is a priority for the government.

“KidsOR has and continues to facilitate government efforts to provide this care. At the UTH, the number of cases operated per year has increased to 2,200 from just over 1000 a few years ago. This investment has allowed us to conduct complex cases, thereby reducing the number of children being referred for treatment abroad,” Dr Sinyangwe said. “Just two months ago, another landmark surgery of separation of Siamese twins was successfully conducted in the paediatric KidsOR and the twins have since been discharged, [are] well and healthy. This brings the total to four successful Siamese twin separations done in UTH in the recent past.”

Dr Sinyangwe said the Scottish government, through Kids-OR, has demonstrated unwavering support to improving provision of surgical care by providing nine (9) operating rooms in five (5) provinces of Zambia.

These are Lusaka (UTH), Copperbelt (Arthur-Davison Hospital), Central Province (Kabwe General Hospital), and Southern Province (Livingstone Teaching Hospital).

He said that this is aimed at reducing the need for patients to always travel to Lusaka to access surgical care.

Dr Sinyangwe also hailed the provision of solar solutions in each of the operating rooms to ensure that lack of electricity does not disrupt the much-needed surgical care to patients.

He said this is particularly important as the drought has affected the country’s ability to maintain constant power supply.

“On behalf of the government, His Excellency the President Mr. Hakainde Hichilema, the Hon. Minister of Health (Hon Elijah Muchima) and the entire frontline team of health workers, I would like to sincerely thank the Scottish Government and KidsOR for this partnership and unwavering support and look forward to continued collaboration going forward,” said Dr Sinyangwe.

At the height of a cholera outbreak in Zambia early this year, the Scottish Government provided £500,000 to augment Zambia’s response effort.

Meanwhile, Zambia’s High Commissioner to the UK H.E. Macenje Mazoka says the country’s relationship with Scotland continues to grow from strength to strength, evidenced by the support given in sectors that align with Zambia’s key development priority areas.

“The Scottish Government’s unwavering support in our times of need continues to deepen our ties and this visit to Zambia further demonstrates their commitment,” she said. “We look forward to growing the partnership for years to come.”

Ms. Keating is leading a delegation of Scottish officials to Lusaka, taking time to visit various projects supported by Scotland.