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Government has announced plans to establish health facilities in selected busy markets across the country to bring healthcare services closer to communities.
Health Minister, Alex Katakwe, said government recognized that people operating in market areas were prone to various health emergencies that required urgent attention, hence the need for accessible medical services.
Katakwe said this on Wednesday in Lusaka when he met a delegation from the Zambia National Marketeers Credit Association, which paid a courtesy call on him.
During the meeting, the delegation informed the minister that existing healthcare facilities in three Lusaka markets had been beneficial to traders who frequently require medical attention.
“Trading areas often accommodate large populations, emphasizing the importance of establishing treatment points that are easily accessible to marketeers,” Katakwe said.
He added that the proposed facilities will include Youth-Friendly Corners to provide young people and adolescents in markets with access to sexual and reproductive health services.
Katakwe stressed that it was government’s responsibility to protect the health of market populations—particularly adults, youths and adolescents—and reiterated government’s commitment to taking quality healthcare services closer to communities, including those in markets.
He also called for collaboration with ZANAMACA to ensure marketeers participated in public sensitisation on maintaining hygiene in trading spaces.
Earlier, ZANAMACA President Mupila Kameya informed the minister that only three markets in Lusaka currently have operational healthcare facilities serving traders.
He identified these markets as New Soweto Market, HB Market, and Intercity Market, noting that the clinics are overstretched due to the high number of patients.
“The facilities were initially established through support from cooperating partners and were later staffed with government healthcare workers to improve service delivery,” he said.
Kameya added that the clinics provided real-time medical services, allowing traders to continue with their businesses without major disruptions.
He expressed concern that long distances to access healthcare services negatively affected traders’ productivity and appealed to government to expedite the establishment of similar facilities in major markets nationwide, including in provincial capitals.
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