Residents of Makangira Ward in Luangeni Constituency have paid glowing tribute following the construction of the first-ever Mutowe Clinic.
One of the residents, Raphael Zulu, said the development has ended decades of long and dangerous journeys for basic healthcare.
Zulu explained that for years, community members relied on Chipata General Hospital—a facility they described as both distant and costly to reach, especially for pregnant women and emergency cases.
“The nearest health facility is Chipata General Hospital, which is far,” said Zulu.
He outlined the enormous transport burden facing families.
“Sometimes you end up spending about 500 Kwacha just for a one-way emergency trip. Another 500 to return gives you 1,000 Kwacha—and that is before you add other expenses for staying there. It is very costly,” he said.
Zulu added that night travel poses even more challenges.
“Moving from Mutowe area to the hospital at night is a big challenge. Motorbikes cannot move freely due to attacks by criminals. This presents a huge challenge, especially for expectant mothers who cannot wait but need to be attended to regardless of the situation,” he said.
Another resident, Gerald Tembo, recalled the agonising delays caused by unreliable transport.
“Sometimes you find that the person you need to hire for a motorbike has no petrol. By the time you manage to look for transport and reach the hospital, the patient is extremely weak. That is a big challenge,” he said.
Tembo expressed overwhelming relief at the new clinic’s arrival.
“We are very excited that this facility has come within our vicinity. We are grateful to our Member of Parliament for Luangeni, Moses Moyo, and the Republican President, Mr Hakainde Hichilema,” he said.
Residents also noted with appreciation that the clinic includes a staff house for the cleaner.
Zulu, however, appealed to authorities for further improvements such as installing modern ablution blocks.
He emphasised that the construction of Mutowe Clinic marks the first health post ever built in the area, bringing primary care closer to hundreds of households previously forced to travel many kilometres to Chipata General Hospital.
