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In Zambia, first-level hospitals play an important role among health facilities as hospitals that provide basic medical care such as simple surgeries, and general hospitals (second-level hospitals) serve as referrals for cases that cannot be handled at first-level hospitals. However, in Zambia, which has a population of approximately 17.86 million (2019), there are 99 primary-level hospitals and 34 secondary-level hospitals. The quality of service provided is an issue, especially in urban areas, including Lusaka District, due to the rapid population growth and weak functions of primary and secondary level hospitals, third-level hospitals have no choice but to handle simple surgeries that should be handled by lower level hospitals. As a result, it is no longer able to fulfill its original role as a high-level function hospital.
In order to address these issues, JICA has been working to resolve the shortage of hospitals in Lusaka District (population: approx. 2.5 million) through the implementation of the Grant Aid Project for the Improvement of Lusaka District Hospitals and the Second Lusaka District Hospital Improvement Project by upgrading the five health centers. However, the hospital management budget actually spent at each hospital is limited, and patients are forced to bear the cost of X-ray diagnosis, ultrasound diagnosis, purchase of prescription drugs (if the hospital does not have stock), etc. ing. In addition, hospitals face many challenges in managing pharmaceuticals and medical consumables, and regarding medical equipment, there are major problems with maintenance systems, such as a shortage of technicians, difficulty in procuring consumables and spare parts, and a lack of preventive maintenance. In addition, human resources in charge of management are often entrusted with hospital management without opportunities to acquire basic knowledge and management skills related to hospital operation and management. However, they have not been able to make effective use of hospitals and formulate strategic hospital operation management plans.
In addition, in the outbreak of new coronavirus disease (hereinafter referred to as ""COVID-19"") in 2019, it is said that there are many cases of COVID-19 in Zambia caused by nosocomial infections, and it is said that there are many cases of COVID-19 infection at the general hospitals. The need to strengthen infection control measures has been reaffirmed, and the Ministry of Health of Zambia has made it a priority issue.
In order to improve this situation, the Zambian government has implemented a technical cooperation project to strengthen the hospital management capacity for the 5 hospitals developed under the Grant Aid ""Lusaka District Hospital Development Project"" and ""The Second Lusaka District Hospital Development Project"".This project will strengthen the ability to improve problems based on monitoring, strengthening infection control, stock management of medicines and consumables that can be handled at the hospital level, and maintenance of facility equipment, strengthening cooperation between the five target hospitals, the Lusaka State Health Office (PHO), the Lusaka District Health Office (DHO), and Ministry of Health (MOH). The projct aims to strengthen the hospital operation management capacity to improve the quality of the hospital, thereby contributing to the strengthening of the hospital operation management capacity at the general hospitals in Lusaka. |
