Slum upgrade: Answer to urbanisation, smart cities

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
THOUGH urbanisation has positive economic benefits, it is blamed for unplanned settlements.
Further, it shoulders the blame for indiscriminate disposal of waste, lack of sanitation, high crime rate and other vices prevalent in cities in developing countries.
Zambia is not an exceptional.
Due to urbanisation, Zambia’s major cities are struggling to cope with the increased population.
People in rural areas flock to urban areas under the belief that cities offer better living conditions and jobs are easier to find.
Apart from increasing the population in the cities, social amenities have been ‘suffocated’.
The increasing population has resulted into undesignated areas being turned into unplanned settlements which have since become an eyesore because of the state of the housing structures and the absence of facilities.
Unplanned townships have no roads, sewer system or piped water, making them potential areas for outbreaks of diseases such as cholera.
It is in light of this that Government, in conjunction with the local authorities and private sector seek to upgrade slums to better low cost residential areas.
Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Development Ronald Chitotela says plans are in place to upgrade urban slums into habitable settlements for the people.
“We have already signed working agreements with various partners in the quest to alleviate the national housing deficit and with some, we have signed for the construction of 20,000 houses; others 5,000 and so on and so forth. No part of the country would be excluded from the programme because Government is determined to roll out an inclusive national growth,” Mr Chitotela says.
The minister says Lusaka’s Kanyama and Misisi townships will be the first ones to the upgraded.
It is believed that people from rural areas make up a disproportionate share of the urban poor and face disadvantages such as inadequate housing.
Like the majority of the urban poor, these migrants are exposed to a wide range of environmental hazards because most low-income and informal settlements lack basic infrastructures and are located in dangerous areas where land is cheaper and sold without proper documentation.
While the rural urban drift cannot be stopped, the need to make the unplanned areas appear attractive becomes paramount.
For Zambia Institute of Planners president Cooper Chibomba, the only solution is to upgrade the slums.
And now is the time to upgrade slums.
Mr Chibomba argues that Zambia has enough legislation to enable the country plan for its cities effectively and efficiently.
“We have the needed policy, legislation and human resource to support the upgrade of slums in Zambia. All we need is to work together as professionals and map the way forward,” Mr Chibomba says.
Lusaka City Council (LCC) director of planning Godwin Chinoya says urbanisation has given birth to various challenges in big cities like Lusaka all because of the rate at which other smaller towns are developing.
Mr Chinoya says everybody thinks of Lusaka as a land of opportunity and this has created pressure on infrastructure.
“The have-nots are now forcing themselves into crime in order to be like haves.’ People think that life in Lusaka is better and that is very true. In the rural areas you cannot find someone selling tomatoes and get them sold within a day. Life in rural areas and other smaller cities is slower,” he says.
In its five year strategic plan, the LCC has slum upgrading as the first assignment in the five years.
Mr Chinoya feels urbanisation in Lusaka can be managed. The local authority needs to partner with other stakeholders and reorganise themselves.
“The unplanned settlements have enough land. What we want now is to put up structures that are like flats to cater for more people. As Lusaka City Council we are aware of the many unplanned settlements. The programme of slum upgrading started a long time ago and the first slum upgrade of Kalingalinga Township was done by private sector.”
The upgrade of Kalingalinga has seen it change with better shops, better water access points, better roads, organised streets for easy access.
The private sector is buying off some of the substandard buildings in Kalingalinga and transforming them into better buildings.
From here, the local authority will consider Kanyama and then Misisi will follow.
It is planned that these areas will have facilities that will help the local authority collect rates and increase its financial base once the upgrade is completed.
Currently, Lusaka city has a population of over 10 million and it is estimated that 70 percent of the people live the squatter compound where they do not pay rates.
The battle to upgrade these unplanned settlements may not be easy because of resistance from people who live there.
A resident of Kanyama township, Simfukwe, has no problem relocating while the upgrade is being done but on one condition.
“I need to be compensated for them to demolish my house and shops. These buildings have been here for some time and I pay levy to the market officials,” Mr Simfukwe says.
Having the big picture of a smart city in mind and emphasising well-implemented infrastructure and will change the outlook of the various cities but also contribute positively to economic, social and investment opportunities.
A smart city also comes with better access to transport, reduced service delivery costs, and maximised land use.
These moves, among others, will ensure that the city reduces congestion, creates space dedicated to recreational use, enhances service delivery, and, thus, improves its citizen’s quality of life.

UTH medical records earmarked to enter digital era

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
THE newly introduced patients’ electronic health record system at Zambia’s highest medical facility, the University Teaching Hospital (UTH) has come as a great relief to both patients and medical staff.

For Charity Chileya, a resident of Lusaka’s Kamwala township accessing medical care from the facility was a nightmare.
The reason was simple: Accessing her medical records was the most grueling proces she underwent each time at UTH for either routine medical care or urgent medical treatment.
“The introduction of the new system on patients’ record keeping is timely in view of the deteriorating standards. I don’t know how many times I lost my file at UTH whenever I was unwell. I am so happy that this time around when I am here, I have been issued with an electronic card that will guarantee easy access to records,” Mrs Chileya said.
For Mrs Chileya, going digital is the best way for the health facilities because the process is easy and quick.
Mrs Chileya is not the only one.
Another patient, Kondwani Mtonga says the system is a perfect one in this era of technological advancement.
Mr Mtonga hopes that the electronic health record system will also be introduced in rural health facilities countrywide.
“Despite all the potential benefits of this technology, implementation of the electronic health record is concentrated in urban centers, and is lacking in rural health facilities where majority of the population lives. I hope such programmes will be introduced in rural parts too,” Mr Mtonga says.
He has one recommendation: “Government should extend the programme to rural areas, noting that this will improve healthcare delivery.”
“Like with most medical technologies that have become standard-of-care in the urban hospitals, most electronic systems are not taken to rural health facilities. I understand the cost attached and some of these systems require technical capacity on the part of the physicians and health workers in rural areas, but with time, it will be good if such advancements are extended to rural areas,” Mr Mtonga says.
A doctor at UTH who preferred not to be named, says the e-health record system is smart, reliable and efficient.
“We have seen that traditional systems are more error prone, insecure, and unreliable. In today’s world, with its huge volume of medical data, the traditional system affects the quality of service offered by doctors. We have seen how the digital systems are overtaking the traditional systems,” the doctor says.
With the use of digital systems, there is less or no chance for any data to get lost. As all the data entered is analyzed, the system makes sure that the necessary information is captured before saving the file.
“For example, consider the data for a patient. If a vital piece of information like the Date of Birth (DOB) is missed, in a traditional system, unless the doctor realizes it, there is no way that the information is re-recorded. The doctor has to wait for the nurse to gather this information from the patient, thus delaying the process of treatment. With the help of the computer, the system prompts for missing data when the update button is clicked,” the doctor says.
And Ms Joyce Kochiwe from Kanyama Clinic in Lusaka is excited that the digital system has been rolled out.
“The traditional system involves a lot of data repetition, due to misplaced or misfiled records. This is eliminated in the digital system since all records are electronically stored. Since all of the departments are centrally connected, they do not have to maintain individual records for the same patient. Each patient is identified by a unique ID, and the patient’s record can be updated using this unique ID,” Ms Kochiwe says.
Moving hospitals out of paper records and to the seamless digital connectivity has been tougher than anyone would think but government is determined to change the way things were done by going digital.
And Zambian Bloggers Network representative Richard Mulonga says the move is a progressive approach.
“The paperless patient record keeping will enhance efficiency and up to date record keeping. It will allow for permanent, accurate and easy transfer of information. It will make it easier for medical personnel to access patient records and make analyses.
The initiative will help reduce current inefficiencies, loss and damage of records. Records can be accessed from various points within the Local Area Network and even on the web,” Mr Mulonga says.
Computerization of health care data will quickly get patients’ health information where it needs to go, improve care and cut costs and time spent by both patients and health personnel.
Two weeks ago, Minister of Health Chitalu Chilufya announced that public health institutions in Lusaka will in the first quarter of 2018 go “paperless” in government’s quest to improve efficiency in the delivery of services.
Dr Chilufya says the paperless project, under the electronic health (e-health) programme, will enhance confidentiality in health facilities.
“Some health facilities in Southern and Copperbelt provinces are already paperless in their quest to strengthen delivery of services. We are determined as a sector to introduce e-health services. We will have paperless institutions in Lusaka in the first quarter of next year. This will not only improve efficiency in the way we provide health services, but also enhance confidentiality,” Dr Chilufya says.
It is hoped that the system will enable accurate and up-to-date patient data management as well as improved efficiency in patient treatment.
With current and easily accessible health information, physicians and health workers can reduce the amount of prescription errors, access patient data remotely, and communicate together effectively to provide quality care for every patient.
Like the paperless business office, the paperless hospital or medical office has for many years been viewed as a myth.
Eliminating paper, thus creating a paperless environment is a highly visible goal at all institutions countrywide.
With a growing population and an increase in the number of patients, the pressure on doctors and hospital staff has increased drastically in the last decade.
It has become very difficult for a physician to track a patient’s medical history (including past visit information, lab results, previous medications, and drug allergies) through a traditional system. It is not uncommon for patients to have labs repeated because of improper lab records.
Certainly, the solution is an Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system that medical personnel to store and retrieve information instantly.
This technology introduced will definitely change the patient-physician relationship in a few years’ time.PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON JANUARY 7, 2018. LINK:http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/uth-medical-records-earmarked-to-enter-digital-era/

Zambia ups infrastructure development

DOREEN NAWA, Lusaka
ZAMBIA has been touted as the favourite destination for investors.
In an effort to improve the business environment, Government has set out to make the country more attractive by enhancing infrastructure development.
That’s why the country in 2017 made infrastructure development central to its vision to attract investors.
As the year comes to a close, it is gratifying to see that government has rolled out massive infrastructure development running the length and breadth of the country.
Roads and bridges, solar and hydro power projects, hospitals, schools, water reticulation systems and other support infrastructure have been constructed and rehabilitated, thereby setting the stage for socio-economic development.
Minister of Housing and Infrastructure Ronald Chitotela says infrastructure development is an important driver of development for any country.
“By improving infrastructure, will not only have economic growth but also attract investors. Better and improved infrastructure promotes sustainable and socially inclusive economic growth,” Mr Chitotela says.
In the transport sector, the year 2017 has seen roads and bridges being constructed, upgraded, and rehabilitated and maintenance works being The Road Development Agency (RDA) is one arm of government that is implementing an ambitious programme called the Link Zambia 8,000 (implemented in 2012) and Pave 2,000. The Link 8,000 aims to build 8,000 km of roads in order to open up the country to further investment and development.
The project is set to cost around US$31.4 billion. More than 2,000 km of roads have been constructed so far. Zambia is a landlocked country in Central Africa and inadequate infrastructure in all key sectors is one of the country’s main hurdles.
In order to connect the country to various economic corridors in Africa and beyond, a good road network is key and this is why government through National Road Fund Agency has spent K5.3 billion on the construction of roads.
“The money was well spent because roads are key to the country’s economy. The agency is expected to fund the construction of more roads in 2018 and that the Road Development Agency will continue to construct toll gates in order to find the money to finance the rehabilitation and construction works,” Agency Board chairperson Christabel Banda says.
Among the notable roads constructed during the year is the 375 kilometre stretch from Luangwa Bridge to Mwami Border, at a cost of 168.7 million Euros.
The works were done by Condril and Mota Engil construction companies. The road project is co-financed by the European Union (EU) through the European Development Fund (EDF) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), the French Agency for Development (AFD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB).
Another massive road project during the year, whose construction commenced recently is the Great North, the 321-kilometre Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway.
The Lusaka-Ndola dual carriageway could be one of the biggest road projects in Zambia’s history.
This is so because the said road is a key panacea for the country’s socio-economic challenges, as it is an important route to and from the Democratic Republic of Congo and other Southern African Development Community (SADC) and Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) countries.
Scheduled to be built at the cost of US$1.2 billion, the dual carriageway will according to plan, come with the construction of a transit hotel, a service station between Lusaka and Kabwe, and a mini city to be established between Kapiri Mposhi and Ndola.
A look at policies and frameworks put in place on the African continent makes one conclude that Zambia too is headed for the continental vision is a priority.
For infrastructure development in the energy sector, the year 2017 has seen the construction of the multinational power project called the Zambia-Tanzania-Kenya (ZTK) power interconnector.
Ministry of Energy Office for Promoting Private Power Investment manager Clement Sasa said the project on the Zambian side has made tremendous progress.
He notes that the project on the Zambian side has a funding gap of US$200 million to complete its portion.
The ZTK interconnector is a high voltage power transmission line connecting Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya. The project is a Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), Southern African Development Community (SADC) and East African Community (EAC) Tripartite Priority project as well as a New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD) programme under the Programme for Infrastructure Development in Africa (PIDA) and the Africa Power Vision which have been endorsed by the African Union Heads of State and Government Assembly.
Another hydropower project worthy noting in 2017 was the launch of the US$4 billion Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme implementation process with a call to the media to help market the project to potential financiers locally and abroad.
Batoka Gorge Hydro – electricity Power Station project will be financed by both the Zambian Government and Zimbabwe.
Zambezi River Authority chief executive officer Munyaradzi Munondawafa said the project is in response to this energy crisis in the SADC region, the Governments of Zambia and Zimbabwe have embarked on the bi-lateral Batoka Gorge Hydro-Electric Scheme 54km downstream of the Victoria Falls.
The project is expected to produce 2,400 Megawatts of electricity at an estimated cost of US$4 billion.
On hospitals 2017 has seen improvement in the infrastructure in various health facilities countrywide.
Besides several other clinics and health centres that have been constructed, the mother of them all is the upgrade of Levy Mwanawasa Hospital into Levy Teaching Hospital (LTH) at a cost of US$48 million.
The upgraded facility once complete is scheduled to accommodate 3, 000 students.
“Government has an on-going robust programme of constructing health facilities across the country in line with the vision of providing equitable access to cost effective, quality health care services as close to the family as possible,” President Lungu said in a speech read for him by Vice- President Inonge Wina at the ground-breaking ceremony of the expansion of phase two of the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital.
On schools, 2017 has seen Government construct 115 new secondary schools and 220 primary schools are being upgraded.
Minister of General education Dennis Wanchinga says a good infrastructure is vital to a quality education for all.
“In all sectors, infrastructure is an essential driver of competitiveness which is critical for ensuring the effective functioning of any economy. That’s why even in the education sector, infrastructure development is priority,” Dr Wanchinga says.
In 2017, the country has seen basic reliable infrastructure coming up in terms of airports, road networks, energy generation and transmission installations and telecommunication infrastructure.
Clearly, investing in infrastructure really pays off. Because a good and quality infrastructure does not only attract investors, it also positively contribute to economic growth.
Experts say increased public infrastructure investment can have powerful effects on the macro-economy.
Better infrastructure raises output in the short term by boosting demand and in the long term by raising the economy’s productive capacity. PUBLISHED IN THE ZAMBIA DAILY MAIL ON DECEMBER 31, 2017. LINK: https://www.daily-mail.co.zm/zambia-ups-infrastructure-development/