Where the road ends, logistics continue

Where the road ends, logistics continue. Here, an ox cart is the only reliable way to get drugs and medical supplies to the health center in Mongu, Western Province, the District Health Office hires an ox cart—the only reliable transport through the flooded plains between December and June. The journey takes no less than six hours.

Report By DOREEN NAWA

Delivering basic needs especially quality healthcare services  to millions of citizens spread out over remote, rural areas of Zambia has proven to be challenging. 

Systemwide barriers impede health care delivery in the country.

With the rainy season here, the people of Zambia's wetlands like the Lukanga Swamps, the Barotse plains, the Bangweulu swamp and many more are not having it easy.

With the shortage of drugs in many health centres and the looming food shortages, the already difficult daily lives of the inhabitants of these areas have worsened considerably over the past three months since the onset of the rains. Simply going to school or to a health centre, or to farmlands or the market has become more difficult.

"Some families no longer have grain reserves, and worse enough, access to medical care for those that are sick is a nightmare. Others can no longer go work in their fields, which they had to leave behind as they find their way to their destination in the waters with hunger," said Akufuna Mukela, a Mongu resident.

"We have to expect that the situation will be further complicated as the water levels continue to rise which will make it difficult to move about for the next two months."

"Reaching the places in the wetlands, in the waters, far from everything, despite the dangers along the way is a daily challenge," said Ms Mukela.

Ms Mukela said, "Fortunately, the use of ox cart to transport basic requirements like drugs and food stuffs has really helped us. Every rainy season, most of the wetlands here in western province are not accessible and the only option are the ox carts. Given the scope of the needs, however, that's still far from enough."

In Ndele, a remote village in Mongu on the floodplains and in towns around Zambia's wetlands, delivering goods and services is a challenge  and far more worse in the rainy season.

Yearly, families lose their homes due to flooding.

"Access to care has worsened considerably in the this area, and the situation is even more serious in remote areas of the swamps," said Mr Kennedy Mubuyaeta. 

"Women are giving birth in the bush, and men, women and children are dying of minor illnesses for want of treatment," said Mr Mubuyaeta.

Over the years, residents of these wetlands have had serious seasonal flooding. In the past people knew when the next high floods were coming and would prepare, but since 2000 with the changes in climate, floods and sometimes even partial drought occur often and take people by surprise. The canals, clogged by silt, grass and soil, also overflow and flood the fields before crops mature.
The unpredictability in weather patterns makes it difficult for people to plan their livestock, fishing and farming activities. The weather shocks destroy housing, infrastructure and roads as well as crops, the investment people make in agriculture can literally be washed away.