Zambia on track to attain universal health coverage: official

LUSAKA, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Zambia was on track to attaining universal health coverage through a transformational agenda being implemented, a senior official said on Wednesday.

Chitalu Chilufya, Minister of Health, said the transformational agenda being pursued has placed a premium on strengthening health systems to deliver universal health coverage using a primary healthcare approach.

The government, he said, has embarked on addressing all fundamentals in health systems such as a robust infrastructure expansion as well as adequately equipping all existing health facilities in order to ensure access to health for all.

"As we embark on integration of health in all policies in our health systems, I wish to reassure that Zambia will continue working with the World Health Organization (WHO) in our quest to strengthen our health systems," he said in remarks delivered at the 68th WHO Regional Committee meeting in Senegal, according to a statement released by the ministry.

According to him, the government has also embarked on a robust human capital development program which has targeted to recruit 30,000 health workers within a period of five years, with the recruitment process recording success in the last two years as 15,000 have been recruited. Enditem