Katonte Healthcare Programme plans to build a duplex at Katonte Village in Masaiti District, Copperbelt Province. The houses will allow the Ministry of Health to post two nurses so that a clinic which was built five years ago can begin to operate. Currently local people have to travel around 40 km to the nearest clinic.

1.0 Introduction

Katonte Village is in the eastern portion of Masaiti District on Copperbelt Province, some 7 km from the border with DRC. A clinic (pictured here) was built at Katonte in 2010 using funds from the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). However, no housing was ever provided, and so the clinic has remained inoperable since it was built five years ago.

The recommended maximum distance between rural health clinics is understood to be 15 Km, yet Katonte village is 35 Km walking or by bicycle (further by road) from the nearest Clinic (which is at Mutaba). Currently people in Katonte have to travel this distance if they need to visit a clinic, and some people beyond Katonte must travel even further than this. Some people in the area travel instead to Mkushi or to Kapiri Mposhi to access health services.

The estimated catchment population for the Katonte clinic (when it is open) is 4,300. This is even though the recommended catchment population for such a clinic is around 2,000. However, it is thought that owing to the distance from surrounding clinics, a population closer to 6,000 will actually be served. This will include of course many children (some are pictured here at the nearby school) as well as mothers and pregnant women.

2.0 Project Objectives

The objective of the project is that the Katonte Clinic will be open and operating by the end of November 2016. There are two key sub-objectives:

• The first is to build a one block duplex (two houses semi-detached) to Ministry of Health standards, so that two nursing staff may be posted to the clinic; and
• The second is to supplement MoH efforts to equip the clinic, especially with respect to the provision of up-graded solar power, some beds, and a computer that will be capable of handling the MoH’s computerised monitoring system (Smartcare).

3.0 Cost Outline

The first bullet point objective has been costed at K299,123 (approx. £27,000 sterling or around US$40,000). In addition the local community is making bricks, clearing the site, digging the foundations, and supplying sand, contributions valued at approximately K80,000 (£7,000). A summary outline of costs is provided in the table below, showing the cost of key components of the project.

B.O.Q and cost summary (all labour and transport to site is included)

The cost of equipping the centre has not yet be worked out. The majority of the standard medical equipment, including refrigerator for medicines and basic solar panel, will be provided by the MoH. The purchase of a computer plus card reader by KHP will allow monitoring of the number of patients being treated, as well as influence over morbidity and mortality rates in the area. We will seek to up-grade the solar system to support the operation of the computer. KHP has already sourced three hospital beds (two standard and one maternity) which are being provided free of charge by and NGO callled “Waneta”.

4.0 The Community and other Support

Katonte is in Senior Chief Chiwala’s area and both he and the local Member of Parliament have given the project their full backing. KHP identified the project in the first place by asking the Masaiti Health Office where its priorities lay, and they identified Katonte.

It is clear that the local community is fully supportive of the work. Led by their local councillor (in the middle here in blue and white striped shirt) they have already made half the required blocks, and the site has been identified and cleared.

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